The Union Health Ministry has released an advisory for containment of COVID-19 in slums saying unauthorized colonies and Jhuggi-Jhopri (JJ)clusters pose a serious problem as a huge population resides in such places.
For communities, inadequate shelter and overcrowding are risk factors in the transmission of diseases with epidemic potential such as COVID-19, the National Centre for Disease Control, which falls under the health ministry, said.
In case any positive case is detected in the locality, 'containment plan' will be put in place for which local representatives and ward members are required to cooperate with the health authorities.
According to the advisory the local representatives/ward members and influencers in these areas can ensure certain Do's and Dont's to prevent the residents from COVID-19 infection which includes stopping all mass gatherings and cleaning common areas like toilets, water supply areas, surfaces, likely to be touched by residents using any available disinfectant.
The advisory urged elderly (more than 60 years of age) to stay indoors and any family member working as domestic help in neighbourhood should request exemption from service for a short period of two weeks so as to ensure that neither the employer nor employee acquires and spreads COVID-19.
If they are required to go to work, they should practice proper hand washing with soap and water at and after work.
Stating that toilets are closed spaces and potential source of infection to others, the advisory sought cleaning of toilets frequently, and preventing crowding around public amenities such as toilets, drinking water sources, ration shops.
People waiting in queue should maintain a distance of one metre and face away from each other and refrain from touching their eyes, nose and mouth, the advisory said
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