It’s life on edge for Covid-19 officials
They are afraid of infecting their family with the virus
An official deployed on Covid-19 duties has an additional job. Upon returning from work, he has to wash his own clothes and clean the vessels he uses.
Narrating his routine upon returning home, the official, who did not want to named, said he directly goes to the bathroom, washes his clothes and has a bath. He then sanitises himself before stepping out and puts the clothes to dry.
He doesn’t spare a moment to speak with his family. “I call my family to keep the door open. I reside in a flat and it is not possible to enter the bathroom without crossing the living area,” he said.
“I have insisted that I serve the food myself and I have a separate plate. In fact, I have separate utensils and crockery, coffee cup to plate, everything is separate for me. I wash and sanitise them,” he said.
Some officials are luckier. They soak their clothes in disinfectant and it is washed by the domestic help. “Since we are all using sanitisers, there is no problem in using common utensils. But they are sanitised using hot water and disinfectant after every use,” said another official.
There is liberal use of sanitiser, but the family draws the line at the wearing face masks at home. “It is a cause of grave concern,” he said.
This is the mood among officials who are posted at Covid-19 containment zones.
A GHMC deputy commissioner said he was in constant panic since he has been interacting with not only primary contacts but also sanitation and entomology workers, medical staff and police.
His team had tracked over 50 primary and 100 secondary contacts. “When I return home, there is a constant fear running subconsciously while interacting with my family, especially with my parents and grand-children. Though none of our team members has shown symptoms, I am in constant panic throughout the day,” he said.
Deccan Chronicle interacted with at least 10 officials posted in the containment areas. All of them expressed similar views.
One said he had a nightmare after three migrant labourers tested positive in the GHMC limits. “We have been constantly interacting with migrant labourers. Since most of us are below 55 years of age, none of us were showing Covid-19 symptoms. If tested, I am sure many of us would be Covid-19 positive.”
The police is equally vulnerable. “Rather than waiting for a disaster, the government should instruct the health department to conduct tests on all field workers and officials,” said a police official.
“Sanitation workers and police have been working in three shifts. At times, they were also posted on other duties like identifying the homeless, feeding migrant workers and destitute. The staff have been collecting garbage from primary contacts through dedicated bins, supplying essentials to residents in the containment area, checking the temperatures of people who have been home quarantined in the area and returning home,” another official said.