Precautions help make Islamabad’s shelter homes safe from Covid-19

Focal person says inmates cooperating in screening, maintaining hygiene

ISLAMABAD: As the number of cases from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic rises across the country, precautionary measures have been adopted at the shelter homes, or ‘Panahgahs’, in the federal capital. All inmates were screened for symptoms before being let into the facilities.

At the eight shelter homes in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, thermo-scanners are being used to screen inmates while awareness is being spread on ‘No to Panic, and Yes to precautions’.

This was disclosed by the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Panahgahs Naseemur Rehman on Tuesday.

“Protection of the people staying at the shelter homes is our responsibility,” he said, adding that the safety and security of the Panahgahs have been upgraded.

Rehman further said that all inmates were given a practical demonstration on the use of the scanners, use of facemasks, the proper method for washing hands with soap and how to practice social distancing.

The government is doing all it can to give inmates of shelter homes not only necessities such as food and shelter but also safe drinking water, sanitation and personal hygiene tips, he said.

“The cooperation showed by migrant workers staying at these shelter homes on accepting and implementing hygiene routine has raised our confidence to handle the COVID-19 challenge without panicking,” the focal person said.

In this regard, he assured that supplies, necessary for building a safety net against the spread of the virus, have already been distributed at the shelters homes and were being put to good use.

When people staying at shelter homes check-in, the caretaker team reiterates the key messages about keeping distance, wearing a mask, and maintaining personal hygiene, Rehman said.

“We have provided soaps, sanitizers and face masks to the dwellers of the shelter homes for ensuring their safety along with educating them to keep at least a distance of three feet with each other, wash hands properly with soap, refrain from touching doors and their knobs unnecessarily,” he said.

Around 1,000 people stay at the shelter homes of the twin cities. “We have provided thermo-scanners to the caretakers at all the Panahgahs to check the temperatures of the visitors. Anyone having unusual temperature will be referred to the hospital to avoid virus spread,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2020.