BENGALURU: Daycare centres for senior citizens, which were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, may soon be reopened in districts across the state. The health department is seriously considering reopening these as the TAC has given the green signal and said it’s been over a year and elders are requesting that the centres be reopened. Keeping in mind precautionary measures, the centres may be opened in taluks that have a weekly Test Positivity Rate of less than one per cent, the TAC said.
According to health officials, the pandemic had forced all day care centres in the state to be shut. The centres also provided refreshments to the elderly, taking care of their nutrition. But the pandemic had forced them to go back to their families.
“While some families took good care of them, many found it difficult to manage, and some even died due to lack of care. Reopening these centres will definitely help,” said an official. TAC members reviewed the Covid-19 situation at a recent meeting, and found that the weekly Test Positivity Rate of the state stands at 0.3%, so they asked the health and family welfare department to reopen the centres in taluks with a weekly TPR of less than 1 per cent, keeping some conditions in mind.
It said that only those who are double dose vaccinated should be allowed and thermal scanning, screening for symptoms of cough, cold, difficulty in breathing etc, should be mandatorily checked at the entrance. If found with symptoms, they should immediately seek medical care. Compulsory wearing of face masks, use of sanitiser, maintaining physical distance and well-lit halls should be ensured.
Meanwhile, their meals have to be freshly cooked and served hot in disposable plates and spoons. Only hot water should be provided for drinking. Those with comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, and others shall seek regular medical consultation and keep their condition under medical control. However, the centres should immediately be closed if the weekly TPR goes above 2% in the taluks, as the attendees belong to high-risk category.