UoH proposes to convert varsity's guest house to isolation ward

Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad has announced that it will soon be converting the varsity's guest house into an isolation facility for students suspected to have contracted Covid-19.

In a circular released by the Office of the Registrar, Reservation and Coordination Cell, it was informed that 30 single bedrooms in the Lake View Guest House will be repurposed into isolation rooms for Covid-19 suspects.

"Since students here have all common facilities, such as washrooms, mess, hostels, we want to avoid the rapid spread of the virus. We want to be prepared to keep a suspected Covid patient in isolation, and only permit them to go back to using these common facilities once they have tested negative," said Dr Anupama T. Row, Chief Medical Officer of the university.

The varsity is preparing this as a temporary measure until test results of suspected Covid-19 patients are received. "If they turn out to be positive, we may have to re-think about where they can be treated," she added.

The circular also mentions that apart from ensuring sanitisation and allied facilities, nurses and paramedical staff should also be roped in by the concerned in-charges. "We will have to look into hiring staff but cannot comment how long that would take to be completed," Dr. Row added.

Officials at the university said that this is "a step-up" for a referral or sending home of the students, depending on their diagnosis.

President of the UoH Students' Union, Abhishek Nandan, welcomed the decision but added, "the administration still needs to ensure better preventive measures on the campus to contain the spread of the virus."