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In the event of cases of novel coronavirus escalating and spilling over from hospitals, the Delhi government will turn to schools for accommodating suspect and confirmed patients, who need to be isolated.
A senior official from the State education department said, “Instructions have been issued to District Magistrates of all zones to convert schools into quarantine facilities if required.”
Even as the total number of schools to be used for quarantine is yet to be decided, BusinessLine accessed a list of 25 schools shortlisted in Najafgarh zone of South Delhi Municipal Corporation, whose principals have been issued instructions to draw up the number of rooms that the schools can spare in case patients need to be admitted in these makeshift facilities. Most schools selected for the exercise are located on the outskirts of the zone but are chosen on the main road for the ease of transporting potential patients.
Schools on standby
While the roads around Mahipalpur in South Delhi wear a forlorn look, as India completes a week of 21-day lockdown, a lone guard, Soorajpal, is sitting at the gate of the Mahipalpur Primary Boys’ school, one of the schools planned to be used as quarantine facilities. Currently the school is empty, and serves as a resting place for health department workers. The school apparently has 30 rooms that can be spared for accommodating quarantined patients. Each classroom is 18x22 sq feet in size and is capable of seating 30 children.
Manju Saklani, principal of Sagarpur West school, confirmed that she had received a call from the authorities for ascertaining if toilets in the school are in working condition. “In case we have to empty the classrooms, we will shift benches to a common hall, and clear out the space for accommodating beds so that it can be converted into a hospital-like set-up. Repair work for toilets has already started,” said Saklani.
Sandhya Tirki, principal of Sagarpur old school, said, “We are on standby if there are more cases and making the classrooms ready to be turned into quarantines.”
Of the 1,071 confirmed Covid-19 cases across India, Delhi currently has 53 cases, of which six have been cured and two have died.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has stated that Delhi is prepared for an eventuality where even if 1,000 Covid-19 patients have to be admitted daily, there would be adequate facilities to take on the load.
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