Covid-19: Kerala's Wayanad tests old-age home inmates, all -ve

KOZHIKODE:

Wayanad

has tested all

inmates

and staff in

old-age homes

in the district for

Covid-19

to ensure that the

high-risk population

remains safe from the pandemic.

As many as 678 inmates and 158 staff at old-age homes have been subjected to antigen tests twice and all have tested negative, pointing to the success in ensuring reverse quarantine.

The district health authorities said that Wayanad has become the first district in the state to achieve 100% Covid-19 antigen testing of inmates of all old-age homes.

The state government had issued directions to conduct antigen testing for Covid-19 among inmates of old-age homes in view of their vulnerability, as many residents are indisposed and have underlying medical conditions. There are around 21,000 inmates in 619 old-age homes in the state, including those under the government and run by the NGOs

“The testing negative of all inmates of old-age homes is a result of successful implementation of directives for ensuring reverse quarantine given by the health department,” said Dr R Renuka, district medical officer.

National Health Mission (NHM) district programme manager Dr B Abhilash said that the district has screened inmates of old-age homes through antigen tests twice and the second round of testing was completed just recently.

“The inmates of old-age homes comprised a high-risk group and Covid-19 spread in the centres could turn very serious. So we prioritized testing of the inmates to ensure that they can be protected from contracting the disease,” he added.

Also, Covid-19 prevention measures for other elderly citizens are being carried out under the Grand Care programme run jointly with the Kudumbashree.

District health department authorities said that a control room is being operated at the collectorate and volunteers are contacting all elderly people over phone and urging them to follow precautions, and conveying the reverse quarantine message.

The social justice department had brought out a set of guidelines to prevent Covid-19 spread among vulnerable sections, including

old-age home inmates

. The directions include strict curbs on visitors to old-age homes and restrictions on inmates to travel outside, disease prevention measures, special care for providing healthy food, steps to make available emergency medical help, etc.