Plans afoot to rope in hotels for isolating asymptomatic Covid-19 patients in Ludhiana
A health dept official said the move is being taken as patients from higher income groups are reluctant to be stationed in govt facilities
The Ludhiana district administration has initiated the process to rope in hotel owners who are willing to offer isolation facilities to asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic Covid-19 patients on their premises.
For this, deputy commissioner Varinder Sharma has deputed three nodal officers, including Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority’s (GLADA) additional chief administrator, Bhupinder Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP), Sachin Gupta, and senior medical officer (SMO) Hatinder Kaur. The nodal officers will be coordinating with willing hoteliers so that all guidelines are followed and proper security arrangements are made at the hotels.
A health department official, requesting anonymity, said the decision has been taken as some financially well-to-do patients do not want to be stationed in government isolation facilities.
“We have been facing this problem a lot as the patients belonging to high income groups have been pressuring us in one or the other way to avoid getting isolated in government facilities. They want the health department to allow home isolation, but that is not a good idea, as we won’t be able to monitor them,” the official said.
GLADA ACA Bhupinder Singh said, “We are coordinating with hotel owners and a few have also shown interest. The willing patients will be shifted to isolated rooms in hotels and will have to pay for their stay. They will be provided three meals a day.”
The administration had started the exercise few months back as well, but the facility could not be started.
Now, hoteliers are also showing low response to provide the facility as restaurants and hotels have been allowed to operate by the government and regular customers will avoid visiting the hotel if positive patients were staying there.
President of hotels and restaurants’ association, Amarvir Singh, said, “The administration had approached us around two months back, and at the time, many hoteliers were ready to offer their premises as isolation facilities. But, the officials did any follow up. Now, hoteliers will not be willing to provide the facility, as regular customers would not visit the hotels and restaurants if positive patients were staying there. No official has approached us regarding the same till now.”