Covid-19 helpline gets 31,000 calls in fortnight Himachal Pradesh

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 27

Such is the fright of corona pandemic that more than 31,000 calls have been received on the state corona helpline within a fortnight, including the 70 foreigners who are putting g up in hotels in Kullu-Manali and Shimla.

It was on March 10 that the helpline was launched on 104 to address the queries and anxieties being faced by people as the news of huge fatalities from not just China but Europe poured in. With corona tightening its grip over many nations across the globe, the helpline received 3,820 calls on a single day on March 25.

“We are working round the clock in three shifts to allay fears, queries and reassure people in view of corona outbreak,” said Manish Kainth, State Head of Corona 104 Helpline. It was following government’s request to start corona helpline that Piramal Swasthya, running the telephonic health care in the state for the last four years, started a dedicated corona helpline.

Dr Sonam Negi, State Disease Surveillance Officer, said the corona helpline was proving to be very effective as it was addressing all queries of people and had also proved to be a channel for receiving information of foreign returned people from frantic neighbours.

“Interestingly, the 70 to 80 foreigners who are putting up in various hotels in Shimla and Kullu-Manali were regularly seeking advice on precautions during self quarantine,” said Kainth. He said as most of them had now been in the state for more than a month chances of they being carriers of the virus were remote. Yet they were still in self quarantine, he added.

He says the maximum calls are received from residents who are agitated at their neighbours, who, according the them, are not adhering strictly to home quarantine guidelines. “The children too are very curious about corona as we at times receive calls from those in the seven to 14 age group, seeking answers about its cause and ways to take precautions,” said officials at the helpline.

Such is the fear among people that there have been instances when people threatened the helpline staff that they will come and burn down their office, if they do not isolate their neighbours, who returned from the high risk nations. However, there have also been several self declaration calls from foreign-returned people.

The helpline staff have great words of appreciation for the police personnel at various check points for providing information about every person who entered the state.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.