Don’t stigmatise COVID survivors: govt

Panaji: The health department has appealed to the people not to stigmatise coronavirus (COVID-19) survivors and their family members. Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’ on Monday,  a senior official of the department said the approach of the people towards the COVID-19 survivors should be friendly, adding that this is a time to stand in solidarity and be together in the fight against the COVID-19.

“None of the patients have deliberately brought the virus into Goa. They should not be blamed… people should not discriminate them or  their family members,” the official appealed.

If the survivors and their family members are stigmatised then it will harm their mental and physical health, he warned.

No  incident of stigmatisation of COVID-19 survivors has come to light in Goa,  the official said, hoping that there will be no cases of stigmatisation in future as well.

At present, four of the seven patients who have recovered from the coronavirus have been quarantined and kept under observation at Acron Seaway Resort in Candolim. The three  other ‘recovered’ patients have been placed under home quarantine for seven days as per the protocol set by the Union ministry of health and family welfare.

The government has taken all required steps in cleaning and disinfecting the houses and housing complexes of the COVID-19 survivors to kill the infection.

“We have tested the family members of the COVID-19 survivors and the people who had come in contact with them. Neighbours of COVID-19 survivors should not worry as all precautions have been taken by the health department,” the official assured.

Goa has been fortunate that there has been no COVID-19 death in the state, he said, adding that recoveries of all seven patients have been a big achievement for the health department and the state administration.

“With the support of the people, we have managed to control the spread of the viral virus. But the fight does not end here. It still continues. Our approach will be: more testing and finding potential COVID-19 cases or getting the patients as early as possible so that we put them in isolation,” the official said.