I’m kinda proud of everything that has been done to make my parents’ home-quarantine comfortable and safe. (for everyone) [THREAD]

Parents got back home in #Thrissur #Kerala from #Maharashtra on May 28, a little after midnight. They took a Shramik Train from Thane to Ernakulam and then a pre-paid cab home. A 14-day home quarantine was inevitable.

(Ideally they should be in two separate rooms but the space only allows for them to be together. But the room has an attached bathroom and toilet.)

Sister, her husband and I started by making a list of everything my parents would need for 14 days, from dawn to bed-time. It includes food, water, entertainment, clothes, bedding, toiletries, cleaning supplies, detergent, Dettol, steel cutlery and dishwash kit.

Delivery system: We set up a bench in front of their door where we leave everything for them. One of us wears gloves, a mask and calls out to them to notify them of the delivery before standing far away. They open the door, they take the delivery in and shut the door.

Food: We decided to bring them food in foil packaging. That way, no container has to come back for wash. Every foil pack is washed, dried, crushed and put into a big garbage bag in a garbage bag inside their room, to be disposed after 14 days. Stink-free.

Some Vicks ki goli, some Kofitos, some Kitkat in a tiny jar. (Mom avoids sweets. Dad likes something sweet after every meal.) Some achappam, some fried bitter-gourd chips and chillies. A couple of types of bananas.

Tea/coffee: They keep their steel tumblers on the bench and we top up from a hot flash. We don’t touch the glass. The flask doesn’t touch the glass.

Water: A water dispenser in the room was our first option but we couldn’t find it in time. We settled for a large-ish steel pot? a jug and two bottles. They will be refilled just like we serve the tea and coffee. Boiled water will have to be hauled up, yes. Difficult but doable.

Entertainment: Dad loves his transistor so we hooked it up in the room. (He’s delighted!) Both of them read, so their books and subscription magazines were brought in. A notepad and a couple of pens too. The morning newspaper is delivered to their bench too.

Cleaning supplies: toilet cleaner, floor cleaner, a mop and some Dettol. This morning mom asked for some bleaching powder because clothes have to be soaked in bleaching powder water first and then washed with detergents. (Ratio: 1 spoon bleaching powder in 1 bucket of water).

We have random power outages here so we put in an emergency lamp, candles and some matches. Mosquito coil, check.

One thing they’ll need in a couple of days is a nail-trimmer. Must get it to them soonly.

Minimal contact between us and the quarantine couple. We are never even within 15 feet of them. We might be overdoing this but prevention is better than…oh wait. LOL what cure?