‘Hotels to follow SOPs or face action’

CHENNAI: Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan has said that all hotels must adhere to standard operating procedures. If they are not followed, the State might witness another wave of Covid-19 like Europe, US or other Indian States, he warned.

Expressing concern that many hotels are not following the norms, he said, “All public health and local bodies must ensure there is monitoring of places where people gather and eat. Notices and action under the Public Health and Epidemic Act should be taken and published for compliance.”

This comes against the backdrop of 85 people testing positive at ITC Grand Chola hotel in Guindy between December 15 and January 1. Among these cases, 29 tested positive during the new year alone.
But health officials said fever camps have been conducted there and all employees and guests were told to get tested. Though patients are stable and have been isolated, star hotels were not complying with the Covid-19 protocol. 

S Dhivyadarshini, Joint Commissioner of Health, Chennai Corporation, told Express 85 people tested positive at the hotel of the 609 tests conducted since December 15. Officials said a chef was the first to test positive on December 15. Subsequently, 13 of his primary contacts were traced and two of them tested positive. Since then, the daily cases at the hotel were in single digits till December 20, when it touched 10. The number of cases rose to double digits again on December 31 when 16 persons tested positive, and on January 1 when 13 tested positive. 

As many as 33 of the 110 employees, including hotel sales managers and engineers, tested positive.  The hotel, in a statement, said the health and safety of their guests and associations is of paramount importance and all safety measures were followed.  “The property has been practising the Standard Operating Procedures laid down by authorities, along with its stringent sanitisation and hygiene protocol,” the statement said. From social distancing at public areas to rigorous kitchen hygiene and regular health checks of associates, all safety and preventive measures are being meticulously followed. 

“Every member of the team is trained and sensitised to the prescribed prevention of Covid-19 protocol, in the interest of their safety and that of guests,” the statement said.  While the GCC has classified some staff as asymptomatic and mild, most staff are working from home and have been absent from the property, and so have no contact with other associates and guests. “All events at the property have been conducted in adherence to the norms mandated by the authorities.

Additionally, only 50 per cent capacity of the hall is used to ensure maximum distancing and safety,” the statement added.  The hotel said all associates are regularly tested and monitored. “It is an ongoing process and part of our hygiene protocol. Extreme care and diligence continue to be followed at all touch points,” the statement added.