Expert warns of 'disastrous consequences' policy shift. |
LAHORE: The government has started closing quarantine centres
across Punjab, including six in Lahore, following a change in the policy under
which the suspected Covid-19 patients were earlier required to quarantine at
these centres.
Under the new policy, those arriving at Lahore and other airports
from abroad are just being screened through thermal scanners rather than tested
on the spot,I have learnt.
“It is really dangerous, as the government is totally ignoring the
consequences of the action it is taking to handle the Covid-19 pandemic,” an
official source deplored, adding the government must stop implementing the new
policy that, if enforced, could be disastrous.
Under the new policy, the suspected and even confirmed Covid-19
patients are being allowed to isolate themseleves at their homes. However, if
the number of such patients increases, the government may revive these
quarantine centres.
Expert warns of ‘disastrous
consequences’ of policy shift
The quarantine centres that have been closed in Lahore alone
include the ones at Kala Shah Kaku, Punjab University, Lahore University,
Thokar Niaz Baig, Raiwind Tableeghi Markaz and Qaddafi Stadium (Nishtar Park).
However, the Johar Town Expo Centre having status of field hospital will
continue treating the confirmed Covid-19 patients.
“Yes, we have closed the quarantine centres. And it has been done
after reviewing the quarantine policy,” Lahore Deputy Commissioner Mr Danish
Afzaal told the press .
“At present, we didn’t have any suspected Covid-19 patients in
these now closed quarantine centres,” he added, saying the centres were no
more required since the home isolation policy was now being followed.
Mr Afzaal, however, clarified that the closed centres could be
revived if needed. He further clarified that the Expo Centre facility was a
field hospital and not a quarantine centre. “It is open and functional, having
Covid-19 patients,” he maintained.
These quarantine centres had been set up to house the suspected
virus patients in the city and the people returning from abroad. But now, as
per new policy, all such persons, and even those testing positive are being
allowed to go to their homes after general screening with instructions to
isolate themselves at their homes.
“Initially, the core objective of the quarantine centres was to
isolate all suspected Covid-19 patients at different places so that they
couldn’t infect others. So we quarantined around 1,800 people at various
centres,” the DC explained.
Under the first policy, the suspected patients were not allowed to
go home till negative lab results, while those returning from abroad were also
being quarantined for 48 hours. Those testing positive were required to be
hospitalised.
Mr Afzaal said, later, a new policy was introduced under which the
48-hour stay was squeezed to 24 hours and those returning from abroad were
allowed to go homes once they tested negative. Later, he said, the policy was
further modified. “Under this [changed policy], the passengers after immediate
testing were allowed to go homes with instructions to isolate themselves till
the test result. And if they tested positive, they were told to continue with
self-isolation at home. In such cases, the government would also intimate the
respective district administration about the data of these persons,” he said.
Under the latest policy, the DC said, all those returning from
abroad were allowed to go home even without sampling. “Now no sampling of the
passengers is being carried out at airports. However, they are being screened
and requested to keep monitoring themselves and seek medication in case of any
symptoms,” he said. Others should also follow the same course, he added.
When asked about the justification for the policy shift amid
exponential increase in virus cases and related deaths, Mr Afzaal said: “I
think at this stage it doesn’t matter if someone returns home from abroad
without being tested, as our local population is already facing a fast spread
of the virus.”
The DC said at present in Lahore alone, we have some 20,000
confirmed Covid-19 patients, so what difference anyone returning from abroad
with virus could make when a large chunk of local population was already
infected. “So we have to follow and implement the government policy in this
regard,” he concluded.
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