CHENNAI: S Gopi, a resident of Ambattur, was informed that he had tested positive for Covid at 10 am on August 19. He spent the next three hours in a corporation-arranged van, as the staff roamed about the city to pick up 10 others, to take them to a screening centre that was just two kilometres away from Gopi’s home. “As soon as I got the phone call informing me about the results, my family and I became anxious. There was nobody who could tell us anything to quell our fears,” he said.
Gopi said, he received at least four phone calls from corporation staff, throughout the 14 days he spent in home isolation, asking about his contacts, but none regarding his health. “If I suddenly suffer from breathlessness, I don’t know what to do. Whom do I call?” Similarly, 59-year-old Sampath, who works as a household help, said he knew two things about Covid when he was informed that he had tested positive: a few die, and the rest survive.
“I was informed that I had tested positive on August 19. By the time I was admitted to KMC, it was late in the evening. Even at the hospital, I had to wait two hours to get a room. It would have helped to a great extent if someone cared enough to tell me that I will be fine.” Experts opined that it may be time for the city corporation to focus on helping ease concerns of those who test Covid positive, now that there is a well-oiled system in place to detect, test and isolate patients.
“So far, the primary aim has been to protect others from those who test positive. We also have to look at the latter, and their mental well-being,” said Dr Beena Thomas of ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT). “There is an anxiety among people which could possibly keep them from disclosing their symptoms,” she added.
Corporation officials said they continued to call those in home isolation and help those who need information, through the psycho-social helpline. “We have a dedicated team, and there is little chance that anyone would be left out. We have publicised the helpline numbers too,” said an official.