Kerala has a huge expatriate population – at least 10 percent of the 3.34 crore population – many of whom are now returning home from various parts of the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Keeping this in mind, the Kerala Government has decided to open ‘Corona care homes’ near all four international airports of the state. These homes are expected to limit the movement of travelers and help in effective isolation.
What Are These Corona Care Homes?
According to a senior Health Ministry official, the major purpose of these homes is to help the state manage the suspected coronavirus patients as well as others, who are returning home to India from various high-risk areas in the world. It is through these homes that the officials will be able to successfully curb the interaction of these suspects with the other people of the state. Some of these care homes will have the capacity to house 4,000-5,000 people. They will also be equipped with a laboratory and adequate health staff and doctors. Food served in these homes will be of the in-flight food standard.
Medical students and health volunteers are also expected to render their services at these homes. Even the help of private doctors will be sought. Such measures will help to reduce the stigma and scare associated with hospital isolation.
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Everyone Should Follow Directives of Health Officials, Says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired a meeting at the state capital on Wednesday with medical experts, scientists and health activists, where he spoke about incidents of people slipping home quarantine and interacting with others, putting a large number of people at risk. “We are entering a critical phase. We need more care and alert. There are some instances that people on home quarantine slipped out and interacted with others. It will foil our planning and preparedness. It is a social responsibility and everyone should go by the directives of health officials,” he said.
Health Minister K. K. Shailaja, who was also present at the meeting, said that home quarantine is not foolproof and hence places have been identified by the concerned district administrators outside the airports for the care homes. Kerala has four international airports at Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin, Kozhikode and Kannur.
Kerala was the first state to report the virus in January when three students returned from Wuhan in China. The number of COVID-19-positive cases in Kerala now stands at 25, second after Maharashtra, which has taken over as the epicenter of coronavirus in India.
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