Protection of shelter inmates from Covid most essential

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court told the Maharashtra government to discontinue its practice of shifting patients in mental institutions into beggars homes. While reports detailed this, they also said that several persons continued to be in mental health institutions even after treatment and when cured because of the prevalent stigma. Sometimes they were fit to be discharged but did not go home and were put into other shelters. The Court also pointed out that inmates of these mental institutions need to be vaccinated.

We will concentrate on the vaccinated part first as that is of vital importance. Inmates of not just these homes, but shelters elsewhere need to be vaccinated. If seniors, most of them should have taken both their jabs by now. Officials need to take onus for this. If families are in the vicinity or do visit, they have to liaise with the shelter in-charge about vaccines.

If there is nobody to take responsibility, those that are in charge must ensure that when eligible these persons have to be vaccinated.

In homes all across, including at children's shelters, even if the under-18s are ineligible for jabs, we must see a real upscale in hygiene. Within limitations, inmates must be told about all hygienic practices and if possible, signage should indicate the Big Three of the pandemic-- masks, distancing and frequent hand washing. While this is not to say that all shelters are unhygienic it would certainly help if we see even more emphasis on cleanliness during these times. The message has to be in words and in action so that inmates can see that working right before them.

We can say with certainty that shelter home inmates are some of the most vulnerable right now. Even more care and all measures taken for those outside must be replicated here, to combat the outbreak.