In Telangana, A COVID 19 Positive Girl Was Forced To Isolate In A Make-shift Tent In A Field

In Telangana, A COVID 19 Positive Girl Was Forced To Isolate In A Make-shift Tent In A Field

Back when the coronavirus scare hit our country, even the fear and inhibitions came in phases. Barely in the know of what it really was, the first few weeks were spent in denial, where most of us carried on with our daily routine repeating to ourselves, ‘humein thodi hoga‘, up until the point, humein ho gaya. What came next was a frenzy of over-cautious emotions, the ones that kept us locked in the comfort of our own homes, unwilling to go outside lest we get infected. And while the urban peeps of our country found a way to tip toe around the virus, the ones living in the villages, had a tough time navigating through this pandemic.

We say this after we came across the news of a student was forced to isolate herself in a field after she tested positive. So much for spreading awareness, it is shocking that the taboos around the virus still reverberate in the backward areas of the country.

Reported in Telangana’s Adilabad district, a girl was forced to isolate herself in in a make-shift tent after she tested positive for coronavirus. It is being claimed that  the residents of Saleguda village had denied entry to the girl, owing to the stigma attached to the virus. One would imagine that after almost a year of battling coronavirus, people would be in the know of basic facts about it, but turns out, people are as oblivious as ever.

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The matter came to light after a video surfaced where the girl student could be seen standing outside in her family’s jowar field in front of a make-shift tent made out of cloth, sticks and a cot set inside. In another video, her father could be seen sitting next to her, keeping in mind safe distance, but still giving her company out in the open.

The matter that even caught the attention of Minister of State, Union Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, had him express his regret over the incident, where in he also instructed the district Police Superintendent to take a look into the matter and take appropriate action.

Meanwhile, the minister tweeted, “It is inhumane to boycott COVID-19 patients. To fight against the disease we need to cooperate with each other and go forward. The incident of outcasting the girl who tested positive for COVID-19 is unfortunate. I instruct the Telangana DGP and Adilabad SP to immediately take appropriate action.”

While the girl alleges that she was denied entry into the village by the residents soon after she tested positive, the villagers are denying any such claim. Indravelli Medical Officer Dr Shyam Sundar said, “The girl is observing self-isolation voluntarily. She has now tested negative. She is fine. We have counselled her to come to the village, but she is insisting that she will stay in the field for four more days to be certain so as to not cause trouble to anyone.”

The Medical officer also said, “The villagers have been cooperative. They have been supplying water and food items to her. There is a mutual understanding between them.” While we are yet to find out what really went down, we hope that no more taboos and stigma attached to the novel coronavirus comes at the cost of more people and women being banished like this.

Also Read : 41 People Test Positive For The Coronavirus After They Attended A Swingers Convention In New Orleans. This Is Shocking.

Sadhika Sehgal

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