The initiative has been taken as the patients who haverecovered are likely to have developed immunity to the diseaseand chances of them contracting the infection again areseveral times less than others, Ahmedabad MunicipalCommissioner Vijay Nehra said on Saturday.
Amid the rising number of cases in Ahmedabad, the citycivic body has started the COVID Care Centre, a separatefacility for asymptomatic coronavirus patients in the agegroup of 18 to 60 years who do not suffer from any otherhealth conditions, with the aim to leave hospital beds forcritical patients who require medical care, he said.
"The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation approached fivepersons who recovered from coronavirus disease and receivedtheir consent to work as volunteers at this care centre set upfor asymptomatic COVID-19 patients who do not suffer from anyunderlying complications," Nehra said.
There are around 30 coronavirus patients, out of total243 reported so far in Ahmedabad, who can be shifted out ofhospitals to the separate care centre, he said.
"It is well established that people who recover fromthe virus develop immunity towards it. So, they will haveantibodies and their chances of getting infected again are farless than other people. Five of the seven patients dischargedfrom SVP Hospital have agreed to volunteer," he informed.
They will be given personal protective equipment (PPE)to work at the centre, Nehra said.
The COVID Care Centre, planned two months ago and setup as per guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO)and the central government, will have a dedicated team ofdoctors, other medical staff and ambulances.
"Now that the numbers have increased, we have decidedto shift asymptomatic patients at the care centre," he said.
The city civic body has also operationalised a COVIDMedical Centre for coronavirus patients who require oxygensupport.
Till Saturday, the city reported 243 coronavirus casesand 10 deaths. KA PD BNMGK GK