Chennai

Medicos pointed out that specific instructions regarding safety measures are lacking at medical colleges, considering that a large number of outpatients visit medical college and hospitals every day. “Potential risk of transmission is higher in medical colleges than other colleges due to direct exposure to patients and their attendees. Thus, adherence to protocols and safety precautions is necessary,” said Dr Arvind Santhosh, a medico from Stanley Medical College and Hospital.

He added that though medical college service students and postgraduate students are aware of the safety standards, first-year students need to be educated and made aware of the same.

Most of the MBBS/BDS students stay in hostels near the premises that have common accommodation and mess.

S Vignesh, a first-year MBBS student at one of the government medical colleges in the city, said, “We need proper orientation as there are several risks of being exposed to the infection upon interacting with other clinical students.”

Hospital authorities at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital said food is provided in a common space but students are allowed to eat in their respective rooms. Separate accommodation cannot be provided permanently as it is not practical.

A senior official from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said SOPs and directions to the students need to be worked out. “Medical colleges should work on solutions such as allocating a particular floor to the clinical batch and another for non-clinical students. Regulations are to be streamlined for the medical students and others,” said the official.

When contacted, Dr TS Selvavinayagam, director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said medicos and staff members have handled COVID cases when the pandemic was at it’s peak, thus, they are aware of safety protocols.

“First-year MBBS/BDS students will be given proper orientation on precautions and safety protocols,” Selvavinayagam added.

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