Volunteers help senior citizens stuck at home, deliver essentials to their doorstep

A WhatsApp group sees requests pour in

24/03/2020, S. POORVAJA ,CHENNAI

For senior citizens living by themselves and hesitant to step outdoors owing to concerns regarding COVID-19, a group of volunteers has come together to offer assistance.

Bhuvana Seshan, a singer, put out a Facebook post on Sunday evening, asking if people would be interested in helping senior citizens purchase groceries and other essentials. “Several people came forward and said that they would be ready to volunteer and help out senior citizens in their areas. We have created a WhatsApp group for better coordination and have been sending out messages with the numbers of our volunteers on social media so that they can be contacted,” she explained.

A volunteer is assigned based on the area the senior citizen is from, and the former takes down the list of groceries, accepts payment and delivers the essentials.

Keeping in mind the importance of social distancing, Ms. Bhuvana said that all the volunteers have been instructed to drop off the groceries at the doorstep of the senior citizens as well as follow adequate precautions by way of wearing masks, gloves and using hand sanitiser.

Advaith Shivram, a Class XII student who is volunteering in Valasaravakkam, said that on being contacted, he asks the senior citizen for the list of essentials needed and takes the money for the same.

“We do the shopping for them and leave it at their homes. We have got several requests from elderly couples and senior citizens who are living by themselves to help them stock up groceries and medicines,” he said.

A resident of Kolathur, Priscilda Nancy, who has also volunteered, said that she helped arrange breakfast for an elderly couple living alone on Monday morning. “Another senior citizen wanted us to help her buy groceries, coffee powder, milk and a few other essentials.”

The volunteer group is also focusing on arranging food packets for senior citizens who might need them in the coming weeks. “Many senior citizens get meals delivered to their houses through specific providers and if these services are not available during the curfew, we can help them with this as well,” she said.

Senior citizens who need assistance can reach out to these volunteers — Advaith 7358516184, Nancy 8925404028, Sekar 9840047101, Siva Ramesh 9840242929.

Omandurar hospital to be special facility for COVID-19

Health Minister Vijayabaskar announces 350-bed centre

24/03/2020, RAMYA KANNAN,CHENNAI

The Omandurar Government Multispeciality Hospital on Anna Salai is being converted into a special facility with 350 beds to treat COVID-19 patients, Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said.

Other operations of the hospital would be wound down and it will be dedicated to the treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.

“Since it is a new hospital and has a lot of space, we decided to commandeer it. With other hospitals, there is a restriction in shifting out in-patients already receiving treatment... which is why we looked at the Omandurar hospital,” Dr. Vijayabaskar explained.

New beds and ventilators will be procured for the facility, he added.

The Minister said a task force of 10 senior doctors has been formed to study treatment protocols across the world.

Engg student donates Rs 1 lakh to state

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.42 AM IST

A final year engineering student of BMS Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, on Monday donated Rs 1 lakh — which she had accumulated through saving pocket money — to the government’s Covid-19 fund. Amulya A, 21 donated a cheque for the sum to the state fund. She handed over the cheque to the chief minister. “This is from my savings. I felt I had to contribute to the battle against Covid-19 and it’s the best way my savings can be utilised. The entire world is affected by Covid-19. I feel everyone has to assist the government in mitigating the current situation,” Amulya said.

Father, sister of Covid-19 positive patient test -ve

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.08 AM IST

Coimbatore: A day after a 25-year-old girl, who returned from Spain, tested positive for Covid-19 at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital in the city, her 62-year-old father and 30-year-old sister tested negative for the virus on Monday. Meanwhile, the public health department is in the process of tracing her contacts.

Sources in the public health department said 14 people who met the girl before she was isolated has been identified.

“The girl’s father and sister, however, have been asked to home quarantine themselves though they have no symptoms. The Ola driver who drove the girl home has been traced and told to quarantine himself. He is expected to be tested on Tuesday,” deputy director of public health Dr G Ramesh Kumar said.

“Her two friends who met her briefly before she came to GH, have also been told to quarantine themselves and are being observed by us. If they show symptoms, then we will test them,” he said. The nine health care professionals at CMCH who checked her for symptoms and collected her throat swabs are also being monitored.

“All the nine of them used the full protective kit while handling her. But just to be safe, we are monitoring them,” the deputy director said. The patient currently has no symptoms, he said. “Not even a cold or fever,” he added.

The girl had insisted on being tested, because her roommate in Spain had tested positive for the disease. Another girl in her thirties from Palakkad has been isolated at CMCH from Sunday evening and was tested for the virus on Monday. The girl has a travel history from Palakkad. The health department said 43 people who had returned to the district from abroad and 233 people who met them are being monitored.

“We are testing people who developed symptoms within five to 14 days of suspected exposure to the virus,” the official said.

Of the 21 samples tested at the testing centre at CMCH on Sunday, eight from Coimbatore turned negative, he said.

Number of people isolated as on Monday, are seven in CMCH and eight in ESIC Hospital. They have also tested 26 people and their results are awaited.

11 Indonesians among 16 quarantined in Salem GH

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.10 AM IST

Salem: A total of 16 people, including 11 Indonesian nationals, were quarantined in the Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital (SGMKMCH) on Sunday night.

Salem Municipal Corporation (SMC) health department officials, who came to know that a team of 11 Indonesians had visited mosques in the city and participated in religious meetings, went to a mosque in the Sanyasikundu area near Kitchipalayam on Sunday night and made inquiries.

“We found that they had participated in religious meetings in three mosques in the Shevapet, Ponnammapet and Erumapalayam areas in the city,” S A Raman, Salem collector said. He said five people from Salem city had assisted them to reach these mosques. They had been staying in Salem since March 11.

The health department officials quarantined all the 16 people in the special ward in SGMKMCH on the same night.

Dean of the hospital Dr Balajinathan told TOI that they have collected blood samples from the 16 people. “We suspect the four Indonesians have Covid-19 symptoms and have sent their blood samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation,” he said, adding that the results would be out in a couple of days.

The collector said fumigation was carried out in the mosques which the Indonesians visited. “We also started searching for the people who had attended those meetings and they will be quarantined at their houses at the earliest,” he added.

The collector said so far 247 people had returned to Salem from abroad since January 28, this year. “All of them were in home quarantine for nearly 14 days,” he said, adding that they were doing good.

Raman appealed to the public to inform the authorities if anybody who has come from abroad has left home quarantine. He asked them to contact 0427-2450022 and 2450023 if they come across someone who has come from abroad. “People also could reach the district administration on 1077 - the toll-free number round the clock.” He said strict action will be initiated if anyone hides one’s foreign tour details.

The collector asked SGMKMCH doctors to keep the quarantine ward ready to take up corona virus affected patients at any time. The hospital at present has a 9-bed special ward for patients along with 21 beds in the quarantine ward. A team of doctors and nurses will be in these wards round the clock. Sanitisers, one-time use pillow covers, bedsheets and other materials are also kept ready. “The government hospitals in Mettur, Attur and Omalur have five beds each to treat Covid-19 patients,” he said. Six private hospitals too have been chosen to treat Covid-19 positive patients.

Owlets rescued near Tiruvarur

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.02 AM IST

Trichy: Two owlets that fell from a tree on Monday were rescued in Tiruvarur district and handed over to the forest department on Monday.

Estimated to be about 10 days old, the owlets belong to the Barn Owl species. They were being chased by stray dogs and crows before they were rescued by the locals and handed over to the forest department. Barn Owls, which are among the 32 species of owls found in India, are protected under schedule-III of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, said head of Zoology department at National College Trichy, V Gokula.

Wildlife biologist K Sasi Kumar confirmed that the owlets belong to the Barn Owl species. Tiruvarur district forest officer K Arivoli said that rescued owlets are fine and are kept under observation. They will be released in a couple of months.

Social distancing, who cares ?

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.44 AM IST

Trichy: Even as social distancing is identified as a practical and safe way to ward off the novel coronavirus, many Trichiites seem to be in no mood to pursue the practice. A day after the city observed the self-imposed Janata Curfew by staying indoors, people in large numbers, mostly youth, preferred to wander around on their bikes and hang out at tea stalls, many discussing the funny memes on Covid-19. With non-essential outlets too opening on Monday, cautious residents now pin their hopes on section 144 of CrPC coming into effect on Tuesday evening to prevent gathering at public spots.

The authorities had urged the traders to cooperate with the government by refraining from doing business that attracts crowds till March 31. But, around 11 am on Monday, even fashion retail outlets started opening their shutters and customers carelessly thronging them. Mobile and car showrooms as well as second-hand two-wheeler sales showrooms were seen open for business despite the restrictions.

With school and colleges ordered to be closed, youths were seen roaming in their two-wheeler, many riding in triples. “We have been repeatedly insisting on the youths to stay indoors but they are in no mood to oblige. They have not understood the seriousness of the Covid-19 outbreak,” a police officer patrolling Cantonment locality said.

Among those who ventured out to Thillai Nagar and Palakkarai roads were youths heading to mobile and computer accessories shops that were kept open. The city seemed to be completely unaware of the potential infection threat it faces with the local people interacting and travelling at a very close distance. “Residents should cooperate with the authorities, we all have the responsibility of combating the viral infection,” M Sekaran, a social worker said. Neither the police nor the district administration, despite being alerted, bothered to enquire with textile showrooms why they were kept open inviting the public.