THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state will implement reverse quarantine to expedite the process of flattening the curve of new Covid-19 cases. Reverse quarantine is the practice of detaching the most vulnerable people from general public.
People having underlying medical conditions, those aged 65 years and above and persons who are immune-compromised will be sequestered under the porgramme.It will be implemented through local bodies which are tasked with providing medicine, food, counselling and other assistance to those set to undergo reverse quarantine.
“The opportunity for transmission will have to be decreased. For that, lockdown is not the only solution. Measures such as social distancing, self-isolation and reverse quarantine could also be adopted to slacken the spread of the virus,” said a health department officer.According to him, detaching the most vulnerable group is essential as their chances of contraction of the virus are high and if that happens it will overburden the healthcare system.
“The state has a good number of the elderly population combined with those with underlying medical conditions and immune-compromised persons. As the chances of silent spreaders remain high, the vulnerable group may easily get exposed to them. The result will be a human catastrophe,” the officer said.
Local Self Government Department principal secretary Sarada G Muraleedharan directed the local bodies to implement the reverse quarantine and provide adequate support to such persons.
Extra care
Those who are to be put under reverse quarantine include elderly people, persons in need of palliative care, cancer patients, people with caridac ailments, those who had undergone heart surgery or angioplasty, patients with respiratory illness or asthma, chronic disease patients and immunocompromised ones
— LSG Dept Directive