Sikkim: Who says quarantine centres are boring? Not for these frontline workers

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Namchi, May 13:

At the institutional quarantine centre of Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Eco-Tourism (IHCAE), Chemchey, South Sikkim, where presently a total of 77 people have been kept, nights might be long and sometimes lonely but never "out of tune".

The occupants of this centre, who comprise of frontline workers, created a fun and happy environment by organising musical nights while adhering to the norms and protocols.

The A and B blocks of this Centre with a total of 21 rooms are being utilized as a quarantine facility and on most nights, sweet-sounding songs are being played by frontline workforce including staff from IHCAE, Police and Medical personnel posted there.

These melodies are being played from the front yard of the respected blocks while the main entrance door of the building is locked so that people undergoing mandatory quarantine will not be able to come out to the front yard and vice versa.

Speaking about this activity, Deputy Director IHCAE Mr. Kazi Sherpa informed that he wanted to assist everyone involved at IHCAE combating COVID-19 to be in a positive and happy environment as they are doing their level best.

He also added that the quarantined people and officials put up at this Centre can have a wonderful experience through these cultural extravaganza as the world alongwith Sikkim struggle to overcome this crises.

Mr. Sherpa also said that IHCAE is an institute which provides adventure related training courses; therefore there is an outdoor rock climbing training wall already installed.

In the morning, he would gather the police, medical and other workers and encourages them to use this training wall so that they are rejuvenated, focused and healthy.

He also updated that the activities at this Centre will be limited as he doesn't want any one to break the protocol laid by the Sikkim State Government with regard to COVID-19.

Government Personnel affixed at this Centre are also not allowed to leave and mingle with outside people. The gates are locked and anyone entering this Centre will have to register and inform the Police personnel.

As for the food at the centre, there is a time table wherein vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is cooked and served but if any of the quarantined people are vegetarian then they are strictly served the same according to their preference.

There are a set of people who has been assigned with the task of making breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nowadays quarantined people are also served with fresh fruits, eggs and many more nutritious sustenance too.

The centre is also equipped with ample medical assistance. A thermal scanner is available for the medical practitioners alongwith medicines for various minor ailments. A vehicle has also been allocated to be used as an ambulance in case there is any emergency. Apart from thermal scanner, many more state of art apparatus will also be set up in the centre at the earliest.

As for the welfare of the occupants, they are regularly checked by the doctor. A water boiler with tea bags and sugar have been kept in all of the rooms used by them so that they can get hot beverage around the clock.

It is also compulsory for the people under quarantine at this centre to wear face mask, maintain social distance and practice basic hand and respiratory hygiene.

Once they leave this Centre after completing the 14-day compulsory quarantine, the staff of IHCAE disinfect and sanitize the necessary items used by the previous occupant. For this disinfection process, disposable gloves and other chemical compound for laundry is utilized.

It maybe mentioned that the Sikkim State Government has started the process of bringing back the stranded people from 5th May onwards.

The individuals of South and West District entering via Melli Checkpost are taken to the Screening Centre at Melli. The returnees are screened and examined following all safety norms in the Melli screening centre and sent to various quarantine Centre located in the District. As for West Sikkim, people are handed to West District administration for further procedure.

There are a total of seven quarantine centers in South. They are Hotel Pangolin (Assangthang) Cherry Resort (Temi), Yatri Niwas (Chardham), IHCAE (Chemchey), SIRD (Karfectar), SICB (Karfectar) and CCCT (Chisopani). Out of these, three centres namely Hotel Pangolin, Cherry Resort and Yatri Niwas are paid and other centres are free of cost.