"The District Administration has prepared a contingency plan to quarantine potential patients in case of geometric increase in subsequent stages of pandemic." This was disclosed by the Deputy Commissioner Mr. Girish Dayalan after presiding over a meeting with representatives of various higher educational institutions in the district.Soliciting their support in the hour of crisis, the Deputy Commissioner said that as of now the administration has ample quarantine facilities but an acute spike may require segregation of COVID -19 positive patients. Patients from densely populated areas or slums can't be home quarantined so to check the spread of contagion, it necessary to earmark places where they can be made to stay, said he. In line with this, the District Administration has tied up with Chandigarh University who has provided a dedicated 1000 bed isolation facility. Similarly, in the hour of need to minimize the response time , administration has sought support from higher education institutions to reserve their vacant hostels for quarantine purpose.The symptomatic cases would be quarantined in various hospitals while the asymptomatic cases need to be quarantined away from home so as to ensure that the community spread doesn't take place, said he.
The Deputy Commissioner exhorted the educational institutions to share information about the vacant hostel rooms with the District Administration, conceding to which they furnished the approximate number of rooms/halls/classrooms that could be used as a quarantine facility, on the spot. Bed space for nearly 4000 patients was assured. Apart from this, on the behest of the District Administration they assured continuation of kitchen/mess and laundry services to the inmates.On the occasion, while appreciating SAS Nagar Administration's initiative to plan well in time, Dr. Anshu Kataria, spokesperson, Joint Action Committee (JAC) and President, Punjab unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) said that all the 1600 Unaided colleges of Punjab are with the government in this pandemic and Joint Action Committee (JAC) would give around 3000-3500 beds in Mohali District for the isolation facilities as and when required, in the nearby colleges.Mr. Charanjit Singh Walia, Director, JAC and President Nursing colleges Association said that all the Nursing Colleges along with Management Staff and students is with the Government and whenever required Nursing students can work as health workers, after receiving proper training for the same.Representatives from SVIET, Doaba, Rayat Bahra, Dolphin, Indo Global, Universal, PGC Lalru, SUS Tangori, Quest College, Swami Parmanand Group along with other educational institutions were also present during the meeting.