From crowded dining spaces to failing to isolate students with symptoms, COVID-19 patients say their requests and warnings fell on deaf ears.
Naresh *, an IIT Madras graduate student, returned to his campus in August this year after the government of Tamil Nadu partially lifted the COVID-19 restrictions. For the first two months, he tells TNM, the institute strictly followed the quarantine rules set by the government. The students who wanted to return had to isolate themselves at the Taramani guesthouse for two weeks before they were allowed onto campus. However, in November, Naresh noted, the students were allowed to self-quarantine in their hostel room and slowly all forms of supervision allegedly took a back seat.
And today, Naresh, who is currently admitted to Kings Hospital in Chennai with COVID-19, directly blames IIT-Madras’ nonchalant attitude towards COVID-19 protocols for the rapid spread of the virus. As of Wednesday morning, the institute has reported 191 people with COVID-19 in December alone and the group is expected to grow.
“The 700 students present on campus were eating in one mess: SGR. Initially, with fewer people on campus, the infrastructure was fine. But with so many people back, the risk of infection was clear within the mess “. Naresh says. “Our fears were correct when the cafeteria workers tested positive. The students wrote several letters to the president of the institute requesting that they open another cafeteria, but they threatened us and told us they would send us if we complained. It was only after the students began to test positive that they opened another mess around December 10, “he adds.
Pankaj *, another graduate student admitted to Kings Hospital for treatment for COVID-19, noted that in addition to the overcrowding in the mess, the institute had failed to control for several other factors that could have led to the spread of the virus.
“The day academics had started coming onto campus and were using the same labs, libraries, and other common areas,” explains Pankaj. The students allege that the lack of a complete disinfection process after each individual use could have put others at risk of becoming infected. “There were works in various parts of the campus and these workers also came from outside, in addition to the cleaning staff. The families of the teachers also came and went,” he adds.
The students allege that in early December, a student from the ocean engineering department tested positive for the virus, but even this did not prompt the administration to take action.
“Around December 9, there was a student in my shelter block who had symptoms like a 102-degree fever, headache, and cough. He even went to the institute’s medical center, but they didn’t even isolate him,” Naresh says. “He continued to use all the common facilities of the shelter,” he alleges.
Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, who has been closely following the case, told the media on Wednesday that after the group at IIT, tests are being carried out in shelters attached to institutes across the state. He also stressed the need to test workers at construction sites and avoid overcrowding in eating areas.
“We have to remove our masks while we eat, so we have to avoid crowds. Otherwise, install a take-out system. Students are also taking off their masks when talking to each other in a crowd. Small violations are causing these problems, “he added. he said. “Actions will be taken against the institutes if COVID-19 precautions are not followed,” he warned.
TNM has contacted IIT Madras for a response to the allegations made by the students.
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