Private hospitality players do their bit

Initiative to support isolation care with medical supervision for those with travel history or mild symptoms

Several private players from the hospitality and food delivery industry and banks joined the ‘Project Stay I’ launched by Apollo Hospitals Group to support isolation care with medical supervision for those with travel history or with mild symptoms of COVID-19 to curb the spread of the pandemic.

Ritesh Agartala of Oyo Home said worldwide people were trying to create new infrastructure to tackle COVID-19 pandemic. But using existing infrastructure was invaluable. The ‘Project Stay I’ could make 5,000 rooms available in economy and above categories. They would also support accommodation for healthcare professionals — doctors, nurses, and other support staff. Oyo charges ₹1,200 per room.

Vikram Jeet Singh of Lemon Tree Hotel Group said that they had partnered with the State government and now with Apollo Hospitals Group. They provide isolation rooms for those with travel history and those with mild symptoms of COVID-19 with medical supervision from Apollo Hospitals. Absolute hygiene, sanitation will be ensured in upkeep of rooms and delivery of food. The Lemon Tree charges ₹ 3,000 plus food. The Ginger group of Hotels charges ₹2,000 plus food.

For the social groups which can’t afford, Sangita Reddy, JMD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said the Oyo rooms will be made available free of cost under the Corporate Social Responsibility of their partners which include SBI, Deutsche Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Zomato and others.

Gaurav Gupta of Zomato said he was glad to be part of the project to support isolation care and that food is a basic need. “We have to make it safe for those delivering it and those consuming it. We are focusing on contact-less delivery of food at every point,” he said.

Sanjiv Mehta of HUL said the private sector has joined the government in fight against the virus and every step will count.

Kaushik Kapadia of Deutsche Bank India has done well in flattening the curve and the need for isolation is critical. The country hopefully would not go to State 3 of community transmission and doctors are struggling to serve COVID-19 patients across the world because of huge numbers needing critical care. The Project Stay I initiative would not only flatten the curve but save a lot of lives, he said.