KOCHI: With four sanitation workers of Thrissur corporation testing positive for Coronavirus on Thursday, concerns have been raised about the safety of sanitation workers in local bodies. Though the four workers got infected when they were deployed for Covid-related work, the Kochi Corporation cleaning staff are a worried a lot.
According to sanitation workers, since they are maintaining close contact with all houses in the city while collecting waste, chances of getting infected are high. Apart from providing gloves, facemasks and gumboots, the corporation has done nothing to minimise the exposure of health workers to the virus.
“Though we have seen reports of corporation workers in other states contracting the virus, it made little impact on us. But with four sanitation workers of Thrissur corporation getting infected, city corporation workers here have started realising the gravity of the situation. We are taking a huge risk,” said Renjith, a sanitisation worker in Kochi.
Though the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a direction to provide PPE kit, the local body is yet to discuss it. “It was nearly a week ago, the corporation distributed gloves, facemasks, towels, gumboots and soap to sanitisation workers. For several days we were working without any safety equipment. Even now we don’t have a list of homes where people are staying under home quarantine,” said another worker requesting anonymity.
Meanwhile, K J Antony, opposition leader in the corporation, said the civic body should ensure safety of sanitisation workers. “Number of cases in the state is going up. The corporation should take steps to ensure the safety of sanitation workers. Clear awareness should be given to the workers,” he said adding that the quality of facemasks being distributed in the city should be tested.