Concern over safety of kids, elderly when borders open

Coimbatore: It has been only a week since senior citizen couple, K Sudhakar, 86, and his wife Sargunam, 82, got back their domestic maid and cook. But their children based in the US are persuading them to stop the services of their domestic help once the lockdown is eased, fearing widespread transmission.
The couple from Father Roundy Street in R S Puram is just one of many families with children and senior citizens in the city who opened their doors for domestic help on May 3, but are now scared at the prospect of the district’s borders being opened up.
“Our children now fear that both my maid and cook live in heavily populated localities, and their neighbours or family members may arrive from cities like Mumbai or other affected districts within the state and eventually infect them. They are constantly pestering us to stop them again from next week,” said Sargunam. “They also don’t want us to go to the temple in the evenings, and buy fresh flowers or visit grocery shops which we already miss.”
Families with children and those who have to attempt their board exams next year are also a worried lot. Kavundampalayam-resident Nandhini Babu’s son goes into Class X this June. She said “They say children don’t get affected much by the virus... but he had wheezing problems as a child, I don’t want to risk him getting infected and infecting his classmates. So I am considering stopping services of my cook and maids permanently unless they agree to live with us.”
Vaishali Vinodh, another mother of a three-year-old who suffers from severe bouts of wheezing, is planning drastic measures due to opening up of borders and transport facilities. “Now is when I am truly scared. I won’t send him to playschools, birthday parties or take him to play centres until next February,” she said.