Corona upsurge: Is Chennai combat-ready?

With over 40 people testing positive for coronavirus in India, including one in Chennai, the State health department claims to have put in place stringent preventive measures, including screening of passengers at the airports, apart from keeping hospitals equipped to handle such cases. However, a day-long visit to places of mass gathering in the city – including railway stations, bus terminus, stadium, malls etc – show that the city still remains unprepared to tackle situations emerging out of an outbreak of the deadly virus.

When DT Next visited the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus in Koyambedu on Tuesday, no activities of sterilisation of buses could be seen as claimed. According to conductors at the terminus, buses were not being sanitised upon reaching the city, including buses from Kerala, where 12 positive cases have been reported. Bathrooms at the terminus were bereft of soap, not to speak of sanitisers.

However, passengers seemed to be more alert to the situation. According to Vikram Deshpande, a resident from Gadag district in Karnataka, who came two days back on a personal visit, wearing masks was essential in the city. “During times like this, when there is a risk of disease, lack of public cleanliness can be dangerous. The terminus is very dirty. No cleaning works are being taken up,” he said.

However, shopkeepers at the terminus have noticed a demand for masks. “Earlier, nobody was interested in buying masks. Now, we have sold out our stock, and people are buying bandanas to cover their mouths instead. Around 50 people approach us daily, and buy around three to four masks each,” said one shopkeeper.

On the other hand, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation has called for daily sanitisation of MTC buses. “Almost 3,400 buses have been cleaned since 9.30 pm on March 9. These buses are taken to their respective depots for sterilisation,” said a release from the Transport Department.

The hustle-and-bustle at Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MG Ramachandran Central Railway Station was broken up by a checkup centre located at the main atrium of the station. St John Ambulance Brigade, Madras Corps has started a fever check-up point with a thermal thermometer at the waiting arena at the station. “We have initiated the check-up from Tuesday afternoon and passengers with symptoms such as fever and cough are being checked. A large number of people are getting themselves checked out of anxiety. The housekeeping staff and other workers are also being checked regularly,” said a Brigade personnel.

The intensive sensitisation programme at the railway station has also increased the workload of the sanitary workers. “We have been asked to regularly clean the platforms, as well as clean the tracks and the compartment coaches of each train. We are all being checked for our temperatures. The trains are being taken to the yard for sanitisation,” said a sanitary worker at the station, adding all the workers were given masks to wear. Ticket sellers at Chennai Suburban Railway are also wearing gloves and masks.

Given these measures, travellers at the Central Station are more relaxed about the sanitation levels. A traveller from Kannur, Kerala, Devidasan KK, said, “The station is clean, just like Kerala. This is a positive sign for us because we came wearing masks fearing the worst. However, seeing the measures, we feel more relaxed.”

Across these locations, a handful of people were seen wearing different varieties of masks – either disposable air masks or dust masks. But, none of them was seen wearing the N95 face mask, which was recommended by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Tuesday, the cost of these masks with online retailers ranged from Rs 350 to Rs 1,150 per piece.

At the Marina Beach, the first-aid room remained locked. Public washrooms at the site lacked soap and hand sanitiser. Near the promenade, the public seating areas were also not cleaned recently.

Despite the high footfall at the beach, the vendors were unaware of what measures to take to prevent the spread of the disease. “We were not told of anything from the Greater Chennai Corporation. I am not wearing masks because we were not given any. Of all the visitors to the beach, just three-four are wearing masks,” said U Thangam, a fruit vendor.

With the IPL around the corner, Chepauk Stadium is now open to the public for practice and attracts hundreds of onlookers. The stadium did not undergo any sanitisation in recent time, with the seats covered with dust. No hand sanitisers were present.

The first local match will be held on April 2. Yet the threat of disease is not holding fans back. According to Prakash P, a resident of Triplicane who intends to buy a ticket for the match, the game must go on. “If you worry about things like this, then you shouldn’t be going out at all. For those worried about getting infected, there is always the option of watching the match at home,” said the 22-year-old.

However, the malls in the city are prepared with several sanitary measures being practised. Regular cleaning and easy availability of hand sanitisers were the highlights at VR Mall, Forum Mall and Express Avenue and staff could be seen moving around wearing masks. The cinema halls at these malls also featured hand sanitisers and soap at washrooms, as well as constant sterilisation at entrance. Posters and hygiene tips were also widely put across malls. Forum Mall also has a separate section to check the temperatures of the retailers through the infrared thermometer.

Clubs in the city too are doing their best to stay afloat. At Mount Road Social, while floor staff do not have masks, kitchen staff are equipped with masks and gloves. Each entrance and the buffet counter have hand sanitisers. Tables are cleaned after every serve with a chlorine tablet, and utensils are cleaned with hot water.

“We had a seminar for all the employees. We are also reporting to our office in Bombay with regular updates and are having regular check-ups. Even customers are aware of the situation, as I see them coming with sanitisers of their own,” said Anirudh, assistant manager at Social.

“The public needs to be careful in crowded places as the risk of infection is higher there. All the departments are doing their part to cooperate and fight coronavirus. In case of any particular complaints, we will take it up with the respective department. There is no need to panic,” said Public Health Director Dr K Kolandaisamy.