COVID-19 triaging centre resumes functioning

4 more similar facilities established

The COVID-19 triaging centre at Gandhimathi Higher Secondary School near Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital in Palayamkottai, which played a major role during the second wave of the viral infection in segregating the patients based on their conditions after contracting the infection, was revived on Saturday with the sudden surge in number of COVID-19 cases.

District Collector V. Vishnu, who inaugurated the triaging centre, said four more similar facilities would be created at Koodankulam, Valliyoor, Ambasamudram and Cheranmahadevi.

Instead of taking the patients directly to the hospitals upon being tested positive for the viral infection, the patients would be taken to the triaging centre first, where the patients’ health parameters such as fever, blood pressure, breathing conditions, oxygen saturation levels etc. would be tested. If the patient is comfortable with satisfactory oxygen saturation levels, he or she would be home quarantined after giving medicines.

If the health parameters were not satisfactory, then the patient would get admitted in the hospital or COVID Care Centres for treatment. If the oxygen saturation level was alarming, the patient would be rushed to the oxygen-supported beds in the intensive medical care units either in the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital or in the hospitals designated for treating the COVID-19 patients.

When Mr. Vishnu came-out with the idea of establishing the triaging centre, the first of its kind facility in Tamil Nadu, the burden of TVMCH was significantly reduced and this system was replicated in all other districts after Minister for Health Ma. Subramanian visited the facility.

As the number of fresh cases is going up sharply after a brief lull, Mr. Vishnu has revived the triaging centre at Gandhimathi Higher Secondary School and increased its number to five by establishing four more similar facilities anticipating more number of cases in the days to come.

Mr. Vishnu also flagged off mobile vaccination units for vaccinating hitherto uncovered people in Tirunelveli Corporation, Valliyoor and Maanur areas. Each mobile unit with first-aid kits including oxygen cylinder will have a doctor, a nurse, a superintendent and an assistant.

The Collector informed that 52,081 of the 76,400 teens between the age of 15 and 18 had been vaccinated and urged the hitherto uncovered youth to get vaccinated at the earliest.

Dean, TVMCH, M. Ravichandran, Deputy Director of Health Services Krishnaleela, City Health Officer Rajendran and others were present.

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