Mobile triage units to address Covid fears

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: To avoid panic among the public and unnecessary hospitalization for people who have tested positive for coronavirus, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BMMP) is all set to launch mobile triage units (MTUs).

“Each of the mobile triage units will have a doctor and health workers. They will visit the residents who have tested positive for coronavirus. The patients will be advised whether they need hospitalization or home isolation,” said BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta.

He said the BMBP expects the number of Covid cases to head northward in the city on par with other metropolitan cities in the country since many residents from Bengaluru had visited other metropolitan cities. “Some of them had tested positive for coronavirus. There are chances of these people spreading viruses to their neighbours,” he said.

The BBMP had already opened triage centres at different locations in the city during the first and second waves of Covid-19. It has decided to re-open these triage centres for the benefit of people tested positive for coronavirus. The health officials at triage centres would decide whether the people, who visit the triage centres, tested positive for coronavirus needed hospitalization or home isolation after conducting certain medical tests.

“People tested positive for coronavirus do not need hospitalization as most of them had two doses of vaccination. The BBMP medical staff will advise people tested positive to get admitted to a hospital if they are needed hospitalization,’’ said the BBMP Chief Commissioner, adding that 80 per cent people tested positive for coronavirus during the second wave were in home isolation and more than 90 per cent of people who get affected with coronavirus do not needed hospitalization during the current (third) wave.

The BBMP Chief Commissioner held a meeting with police and other officials today on preparing the plan for bed allocation at hospitals for Covid patients who need hospitalization. “We have prepared a scientific plan for allocation of beds to the Covid patients. The patients who contact us for hospitalization will get a waiting number on their mobile phones. I am sure that there will be no confusion in allocation of beds to the patients in future,” the BBMP Chief Commissioner said. He said that only around 300 beds are occupied by Covid patients at designated hospitals. “Most of the beds are vacant as not many people who tested positive for coronavirus require hospitalization. All these days, around 20 patients used to get admitted to hospital for treatment and now the number has increased to 50 patients,” he said.

Stating that there is no plan to seal down apartment complexes or streets where Covid-19 cases are reported, he said that BBMP authorities would make arrangements to supply essential items for those in home isolation. “Most of those who are in home isolation order supplies of essential items online and get them supplied at their doorsteps. If need arises, the BBMP authorities will make arrangements to supply essential items to those in home isolation,’’ he said.