Coronavirus: Hospitals, IT firms give questionnaires on self-checks

Private companies have begun issuing questionnaires to their employees as well as clients for self-assessment, following a cue by the Department of Health and Family Welfare to check the spread of Covid-19.

Department commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said IT firms had been asked to give the questionnaire to trace the missing cases, if any.

While some private hospitals have been giving handouts on the dos and don’ts and symptoms, others have been giving self-check questionnaires to visitors.

“The idea is to put the onus on each person to contain the spread. It is not the responsibility of the government alone, and each person who has a travel history with any symptoms must get checked,” said Dr Govindaiah Yateesh, head, Apollo Jayanagar.

At Apollo Hospitals, among the queries on the questionnaire was whether a patient had a sore throat, fever, running nose, earache or cough. The hospital also asked individuals to check whether they have been on the same bus, train or flight in which a person who tested positive had travelled.

“Everyone must know it is an individual responsibility. If I have a travel history and have symptoms, I am obliged to get myself checked. In the hospital, there could be patients who are immunocompromised or have other illness. The questionnaire is intended at reminding all those symptomatic to do a self-check and be responsible,” Dr Yateesh added. Meanwhile, various shared workspaces have also been asking workers a set of questions by e-mail.

“Have you been in an area where the virus is actively circulating? Are you actually suffering from the following symptoms? Is any of your family members under isolation or treatment?” These are among the questions asked.

Some other multinational companies in the city have also been tracking their employees on an everyday basis, asking for their travel history or that of a family member. Questionnaires circulated by IT companies have also been asking employees to fill in a set of requirements that they need in case they have to work away from office space.