Girish Kumar, a resident of Chandra Layout, is worried about himself and his family. His neighbours are primary contacts of a COVID-19 patient who tested positive after returning from the U.S. Though the primary contacts have to be in home quarantine for 14 days, Mr. Kumar says they are not following it.
“Both the husband and wife are going about their business. This puts many of us in the neighbourhood at risk of exposure. I complained to civic authorities, who questioned them, but the primary contacts told them that they were following the advisory. A team of health officers came visiting the neighbourhood on Saturday, only to find the house locked, a clear indicator that the primary contacts are violating quarantine norms,” he said.
The authorities, who are trying to contain the spread of COVID-19, are having a tough time getting people who have been advised ‘home quarantine’ for their safety, and that of the community to follow the rules. Acknowledging the problem, BBMP has launched a door-to-door campaign to put more people under home quarantine and ensure that they remain there. The police have said they will book violators and detain them.
The city's civic body and health department have now begun a joint effort with the police to ensure enforcement of home quarantine.
“The practice of affixing stamps on the palms of people who returned to Bengaluru from other countries to identify them for home quarantine began only during the last three days. Now, we have decided to put a stamp on all those with travel history who came to the city from abroad even before this as well as primary contacts of Covid-19 patients. A list of people is being prepared,” said Dr. Vijendra Bilaguli, Chief Health Officer, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
“Police and BBMP staff will stamp their left palm and monitor their homes,” tweeted civic commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar. A war room, set up in the BBMP, will “keep track of contact tracing and community surveillance activities,” he tweeted.
The Health Department, Karnataka estimates that around 30,000 people, who returned from abroad over the last few weeks, are in the city, and a majority of them have not been stamped for home quarantine.
“Over 500 joint teams of civic and police officials have been formed for the purpose,” said a statement from the Health Department. The teams began their work on Saturday.
“At each police station level, joint teams of civic health officials and police beat constables are being formed. These teams are being given a list of people to be home quarantined in their respective areas. They will go door-to-door over the next three days, stamp people, create awareness and also warn them not to venture out till the prescribed home quarantine period is over,” a senior police official said.
