BMC asks residents of sealed buildings to get RT-PCR tests done for their househelps

The Brihnamumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has amped up its strategies to curb the COVID-19 cases in the containment zones.

In the latest development, some BMC wards have asked housing societies that either has sealed buildings or sealed floors to get RT-PCR tests for their high-risk contacts (HRC) and staff such as housekeeping, drivers, security guards.

As per a report by Free Press Journal, BMC’s Ward A (Churchgate, Colaba, Fort) and Ward D (Grant Road, Malabar Hill, Walkeshwar), the two wards comprising upscale areas in south Mumbai, have embarked on this initiative.

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The move is aimed at breaking the chain of virus spread in housing societies that already have five or more cases on their premises.

According to BMC officials, in buildings/ floors that have been sealed after the detection of multiple cases, there is a higher chance of people living in these buildings and visitors getting infected.

Apart from this, domestic help, housekeeping, drivers, and security guards living on the premises are at risk. More than that, staff not living on the premises but travelling to and fro every day may even become carriers. Hence, detecting cases at the earliest is one step towards early treatment, breaking the chain and even saving lives, a senior BMC official was quoted by FPJ.

Following this, Ward D has made it mandatory for societies where buildings or floors are sealed to conduct RT-PCR tests for their staff and HRCs through testing camps on the premises and facilitate it free of cost, while Ward A has requested the societies to get the test done at any private lab.

It has come to light that some wards in the suburbs too have started doing the same. K west ward, comprising Andheri west, Juhu, Versova, Four Bungalows, too has asked societies with sealed floors and sealed buildings to get RT-PCR tests for househelp and other in-house staff as well as helpers who come and go.

Reports suggest that D ward has the second-highest number of sealed buildings in its jurisdiction. As of May 26, the ward had 32 sealed buildings and 266 sealed floors. Meanwhile, there are 21 sealed floors in A ward.

Overall, Mumbai has 200 active micro-containment zones/ sealed buildings and 4,376 sealed floors.

Also Read: BMC allows private offices and housing societies to hold COVID-19 vaccination drive; Read the guidelines here