Maha gov’t to stamp those advised home quarantine amid Covid-19 outbreak

Activists call move breach of privacy

StampImage Courtesy: republicworld.com

The Maharashtra state government on Wednesday decided to stamp the left hand of those who have been kept under home quarantine post the corona virus scare in the country. The state has reported the maximum number of Covid-19 cases at 39, reported The Statesman.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the decision was taken as a measure to identify people under home quarantine easily at the cabinet meeting headed by CM Uddhav Thackeray. He also said, “This will help people identify them if they break home quarantine and mix among the public during their home isolation period.”

According to media reports, Pravin Pardeshi, Greater Mumbai’s Municipal Commissioner issued an official notice to authorities at hospitals and airports, ordering them to stamp the back of the left palm with an indelible ink that would last for 14 days indicating that the person is under “compulsory home quarantine”.

https://twitter.com/mybmc/status/1239619063417950210

CM Thackeray said to the media: “It is not a crime if Covid-19 infects somebody. They must be given proper medical treatment and psychological support. The Epidemic Diseases Act has been invoked in the interest of the people and the district administration must create awareness on it.”

Invoking the Epidemic Diseases Act, the state government has made evasion from quarantine a punishable offence and said that in case someone breaks the home quarantine, they would forcibly be put under isolation at a government facility.

However, doctors and activists are calling this decision of the government a “breach of privacy” of the suspected Covid-19 patient, reported the Mumbai Mirror. Health activist Vinod Chavan who works for Vikas Sahyog Pratisthan told the publication that the identity of the patient was always withheld. He said, “In this case, stamping suspected patients goes against the basic rights of citizens.”

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