Since the past few weeks, containment zones have reduced to a limited area just outside the residence of a virus-positive person.
However, in late March, when the coronavirus outbreak first began in Mylapore, the Chennai Corporation demarcated a 7 km area around the residence of a virus-positive person as containment zone.
And people were restricted from moving in or out of this zone.
Containment zones are areas around the house of a virus-positive person. They are demarcated by the Corporation to curb the virus spread.
Says a Chennai Corporation official attached to ward 125, who is in charge of demarcating containment zones in this ward, “Initially, we did street containment in which several streets surrounding the house of the virus-positive case were barricaded.”
He says it was possible because the city was under a complete lockdown during that time.
“However, later when the government allowed operation of private companies with limited staff, people in the containment zones, who resided, for instance, two streets away from the residence of a virus-positive person wanted to go out for work.”
Hence, considering their request a partial containment zone was introduced, where the containment zone included at least 5 houses on both sides of the house of a virus-positive person. But then, in mid-May, when more shops were allowed to open, he says people in these areas too wanted to go out to earn a living. And so, the Corporation started following door containment.
In door containment, a barricade is placed outside the house of a virus-positive person. And a cloth banner is fixed on it to indicate its a ‘corona hotspot’. Entry/ Exit from this house alone is restricted.
In case of door containment, he says the neighbours of a virus-positive person need not worry. “Neighbours need not worry. They just have to follow precautions – sanitise their hands regularly, wear masks when moving out and avoid touching nose and mouth. To boost their immunity, we are also distributing Kabasura Kudineer.”
- Picture used for representation. Courtesy: Baskar Seshadri
