CHENNAI: Corporation officials are mostly not allowing home isolation for Covid positive residents of resettlement sites in Kannagi Nagar and Semmencherry even if they have mild or no symptoms because of the size of their homes. “In very rare cases, where people have two houses (relative’s/family member’s) where only one is occupied, we allow home isolation. But in most cases, we admit them to Covid care centres,” said a corporation official.
Residents are currently being isolated at Athipattu Covid care centre or at IIT Madras. Usually, those with mild symptoms are allowed to isolate at their homes but here, the houses have single bathrooms. “The houses are all close together and they are small with an average of three to five people staying together in each house,” said a corporation staff.
At this point, contact tracing is done mandatorily for every case but officials say they may not be effective like it was during the first wave because there is no restriction of movement. Apart from testing and disinfection, one of the main containment strategies that officials think would help in these areas, is vaccination.
“We tried our best to create awareness but we felt they didn’t trust us,” said a corporation official. So, officials have turned to local bank managers who have a rapport with the residents. “The bank staff have agreed to help us. Many of them have accounts there and some of them even take loans. When they tell them it’s safe, they listen. So the banks, through NGOs and personal interactions, tell them that it’s important to get vaccinated,” the official added.