The district administration would, in a day or two, set up COVID-19 care centre at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, off Avinashi Road, to house COVID-19 positive persons showing no symptoms.
Collector K. Rajamani told The Hindu that the administration would house the centre in Hall D at the complex by setting up 400 beds. It chose the complex as it was an ideal place to house the persons – who were asymptomatic – as it was a well-contained place with good ventilation, away from households and had the scope of expansion, if required.
The administration would man the centre with doctors from the Department of Public Health and the Coimbatore Corporation, who would in shifts be there 24x7 providing care to the asymptomatic persons.
Two tests
At the end of the care period – a week to 10 days – the administration would conduct two tests in a gap of three to five days and if both the tests showed negative result, the administration would discharge them one by one.
The reason for setting up the centre was to reduce the burden on resources, including doctors and paramedical staff, at the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, where, from now on only COVID-19 positive persons with symptoms would be treated.
The move to set up the centre was also a part of the strategy to gear up the district machinery and treatment facility if there were to be a spike in Coimbatore, Mr. Rajamani said and pointed to the rise in the number of positive cases in the recent past. Aside from the ESI Hospital, which had around 400 beds, the administration had kept ready nearly 3,000 beds in private and governments ready to meet any eventuality, he added.
Health Department sources said that the administration had at present a COVID-19 Care Centre at the Coimbatore Corporation School in Uppilipalayam, where it treated the asymptomatic persons.
(With inputs from
Wilson Thomas)