COVID-19 in Mumbai: BMC restricts entry of househelp, vendors, service in sealed buildings

Entry of vendors, househelp restricted in Mumbai’s sealed buildings and strict safety protocols to be set in place! The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been sealing buildings, housing society where there are cases of Coronavirus infection in a bid to contain its spread. According to the new guidelines issued by the municipality, there should be strict protocols regarding who will enter the buildings and the directed office-bearers of sealed housing societies will have to be more responsible to tackle the Coronavirus transmission. So far, BMC has been sealing a building that has more than 10 COVID-19 positive cases or if there are cases on more than two floors in a building. In other cases, the municipal authorities will only seal a single floor or a flat, the IE reported.

The report said that once a building is sealed, no one will be allowed to enter the building according to the new directions issued by the civic body. Therefore, no househelp or service providers can enter the building in Mumbai where there are Coronavirus cases. Further, housing societies have been told to tie-up with medical stores, local vendors and other suppliers to deliver the necessary items and supplies at a fixed boundary gate of the society. It will be the responsibility of the society’s chairperson to ensure the delivery of essential supplies to asymptomatic patients who have been home-quarantined. In the case where only one floor or a flat is sealed, maids, vendors and other suppliers can enter the building, but only for non-sealed flats or floors.

Meanwhile, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal arranged a meeting where joint and deputy municipal commissioners, additional municipal commissioners, hospital superintendents and 24 ward officers were a part of the meeting, the report said. The meeting focused on how the transmission of the novel Coronavirus in the city can be curbed. Thus, stricter rules in buildings were announced. Apart from this, Chahal has asked hospitals to give an update on available beds on the dashboard. If in case, hospitals fail to update the bed availability figures on a regular basis, the civic body will send them notices.

Further, 316 teams have been formulated that will conduct door-to-door surveys under the ‘My family, My responsibility’ campaign that has been launched by the state government. The teams will go to every household and check for body temperature, oxygen-saturation level along with other COVID-19 symptoms. Also, a list of senior citizens as well as those having comorbidities will be formed.