Team Herald
ORLIM: After being the first village in Goa during the initial lockdown in 2020 to distribute masks to its villagers, the Salcete coastal village of Orlim can now boast of another first of having established a free COVID-19 self-quarantine/isolation centre that commenced functioning from May 5.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
This Orlim COVID-19 self-quarantine or isolation centre is being managed by the ‘Orlim Disaster Management Team’ comprising of a dedicated group of local church volunteers headed by the St Michael Church, Orlim Parish Priest Fr Roger Godinho, OP.
Speaking to Herald, Fr Godinho, OP disclosed that “the purpose of this centre is if anybody in a family is tested positive and there are no sufficient or extra rooms/washrooms, these people can come and avail of this facility. But it is a self-isolation centre where there is no in-house caretaker but all the requisite essential facilities like hot water, steaming, etc are provided. Also, the food is dropped at the gate of this centre set up in an old heritage Portuguese house.”
“There are three big bedrooms as well as a big hall (sala). There will be 15 beds and 10 toilets, besides mattresses, pillows being provided. Presently, there are no shortages at this centre. As far as food is concerned, the Orlim villagers are prepared to provide food to this centre. But it is an isolation centre not a treatment centre as there is no treatment. It was established in one day,” Fr Godinho, OP added.
Though, this self-quarantine/isolation centre is basically to serve the Orlim villagers, it’s also open to non-Orlim residents. Besides, this self-quarantine/isolation centre, the need for a vehicle was felt with a Maruti Omni van of a parishioner being redesigned with a thick screen installed inside the vehicle separating the driver from the COVID-19 positive patient being transported to this centre.
