ARIYALUR: Three sanitation workers at the Ariyalur Government Hospital were suspended on Saturday for helping a coronavirus patient shoot a TikTok video. The three have been quarantined as they held the woman’s cellphone.
The 25-year-old woman from Ariyalur had returned from Chennai on March 24. She was working in a shop at the Phoenix mall at Velachery. She was admitted to the hospital after coming down with a fever. On Friday, she tested positive for COVID-19 and was kept in an isolation ward.
When the three sanitation workers went to the isolation ward on Friday morning, the woman reportedly asked them to shoot a TikTok video with her. Sources said the woman was keen to upload TikTok videos regularly despite being in isolation as she was worried that her followers would forget her.
The workers obliged and shot the video and even took a selfie with her. On learning about this, senior hospital officials suspended the three. Later, they were quarantined in the hospital.
"No one should use cell phones in an isolation ward. She was even given some books to read. But she showed no interest and insisted on using her cell phone. Once it was given to her, it was tough to get it back from her," said a hospital source.
When TNIE contacted a senior official from the Ariyalur Government Hospital, he said, "As they have taken a selfie and shot a TikTok video with a coronavirus patient, they are quarantined. Samples will be taken on Sunday. If the test results come out negative, we will send them home and ask them to be home quarantined.”