TIRUCHY: Asymptomatic Covid patients quarantined at home alleged that neither officials from the Tiruchy Corporation nor the health department were calling on them and checking their condition. Home isolation had started in Tiruchy in July and around 100 persons are in home isolation currently, but a a majority of them share similar experiences.
A patient in Kumaran Nagar, who was in home isolation in the beginning of August, said he volunteered information to Corporation that he tested positive. “After I tested positive, I did not receive any call from the Corporation or Collectorate. I informed the corporation and my neighbours that I tested positive. It was only after my call that someone from the corporation came home and pasted a notice for home isolation. After that, I didn’t get any call from any authority. I had to consult my doctor and get medication,” said the patient.
In another patient’s case, despite being above 50 and having co-morbidities, the patient was allowed home isolation. No one from the corporation visited their house. “My father was supposed to undergo a surgery at a private hospital. As per protocol, his COVID test was taken and he was positive. As he was asymptomatic, we decided on home isolation. We just received a call from the corporation that day and they asked how many people are at home. After that, there was no call from any authority,” said the patient’s son from Chinthamani.
Another patient says that in other districts, patients in home isolation are provided everything from medicines to kabasura kudineer. “My husband tested positive and even I was advised to stay at home. We expected that a doctor from the health department would help us with medications etc. We weren’t even told to get an oximeter, which is a must for home isolation. No one asked if family members have symptoms. If a family member gets sick, onus is on us to get a test. There is no call after day 1,” said a patient’s wife from Thennur.
When TNIE brought this to the notice of Corporation Commissioner S Sivasubramaniam, he said doctors at the Corporation have been asked to call patients thrice a day. “In corporation limits, only 80 people are in home isolation currently. Doctors are calling them daily and we paste the home isolation sticker outside their houses too. We are allowing home isolation only for asymptomatic people below 50,” said Sivasubramaniam.