THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As more suspected Covid-19 patients with travel histories to virus affected countries and others under home quarantine are being shifted to isolation camps for effective containment, the demand for other essentials including pillows, bed sheets and clothes is on the rise. The other day, 44 suspected patients with symptoms and those who came in contact with them were shifted to a camp operating at Women’s College Hostel. The facilities for them were set up overnight by volunteers.“For the government, the priority is to ensure medical supplies including masks, medicines and other equipment. Initial hiccups are normal as it has only been two or three days since we started setting up more camps. We have also started shifting patients under home quarantine,” said an official.
The official said that those shifted have been categorised differently as there are seven high-risk patients among them. “Discussions to convert these camps into medical facilities to ensure proper medical care for them are on,” he said.
Now efforts are on to mobilise emergency supplies for those in isolation with the help of NGOs. “Owing to the lockdown, it is difficult to procure essentials. We’re collaborating with NGOs on the same,” said Sreekuttan, a volunteer.
Secretary of Manaveeyam Theruvidam cultural collective K G Suraj said that the collective has mobilised around 2,000 masks but couldn’t distribute them because of the lockdown. “Our plan was to distribute them to police stations and others who work on the frontline. We will distribute them after taking permission from the police authorities,” said Suraj.