Private clinics must be kept open during lockdown: DC

Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysuru District Administration has ordered private doctors to keep their clinics open, which were shut over Coronavirus fear. The doctors claimed that they had shut the clinics to ensure the infection does not spread among other patients. 

However, after getting complaints from citizens, the district authorities spoke to the general practitioners’ body and asked them to refer the persons with Coronavirus infection symptoms to the Government-authorised screening centres. Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar has asked private medical practitioners not to close their clinics even during the ongoing curfew in the State, imposed to stem the spread of the Coronavirus. He said medical clinics have been exempted from the purview of the curfew as they are part of essential services.

“I have come to know that some private practitioners have closed down their OPDs currently, which is not expected from them. OPDs are exempted from the curfew…they should keep their dispensaries open. The fear of transmission has led to closure of many private clinics. They need to remain open to take care of other patients. Some measures can be adopted to ensure social distancing so that the suspect may not spread of infection. The doctors can take care of themselves by using protective gear,” he added. 

District administration officials said that people with small health issues were approaching State-run hospitals and public hospitals, where the staff is engaged in screening and quarantine. This has increased their load.  “We need the private health infrastructure to help the Government to tackle the spread of COVID-19. We have asked for a list of the additional beds and ventilator facilities in the private hospitals, which can be exclusively reserved for institutional quarantining of the suspects,” he added.  

Stickers in front of houses

As per the directions from the State Government, stickers will be pasted in front of houses where people have been put on home quarantine. “We are continuously monitoring the people who are under home quarantine and as per the Government’s directive we are pasting ‘home quarantine’ stickers in front of their houses. We have collected their phone numbers and are constantly monitoring their health. In case of fever, cough and breathlessness, they have been asked to report to the screening centre at K.R. Hospital,” the DC added.