COVID-19: Theni District officials ‘surprise’ those under home quarantine

When officials from the Tamil Nadu government visited their homes in the picturesque Theni District, those under strict home quarantine thought the authorities had come for a regular inspection to check whether they were following guidelines.

But everyone had a gift hamper in their hands, much to the surprise of those who have confined themselves to their homes. The gift hamper was presented to all 124 persons who had arrived from foreign countries in the past few weeks by officials from the district administration on Thursday.

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Neatly packed in a bamboo basket, the gift hamper contained an apple, grapes, banana, citrus fruit, multi-vitamin tablets, hand sanitiser and a safety mask. The initiative was launched by Theni District (in Tamil Nadu) Collector Pallavi Baldev, who asked officials to find out ways to reassure those under home quarantine that the government appreciates their adherence to the law of the land.

“The basic motive was to tell those under home quarantine that they are healthy and there is no stigma attached to home quarantine. This was our way of cheering them up and telling them that the government appreciates their move that not only helps them but also the society,” Dr S Senthil Kumar, deputy director of health, told DH.

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The gift hamper is accompanied by a pamphlet in Tamil which explains in detail the dos and don’ts for those under home quarantine. They were also given the mobile numbers of the local health inspector, village administrative officer (VAO) and constable of the area for any emergency.

The pamphlets and gift hampers were delivered by personnel from the Health, Revenue and Police departments. “We were told by these personnel that those under home quarantine were pleasantly surprised and thanked the officials for the gift hamper. We are happy we could bring smiles on their faces,” Senthil Kumar added.

The move, officials said, would boost the morale of those under home quarantine as they fear facing social stigma once their quarantine period ends. There have incidents of people stigmatising those under home quarantine, prompting sharp response from the government which has threatened of strict action.