Despite Testing Negative For Covid-19, Odisha Man Forced to Quarantine in Car Because of Stigma

Patra who has been staying inside his car since May 21 will complete the quarantine today.

Berhampur: The social stigma and fear attached to coronavirus forced a 30-year-old man in Odisha to quarantine in his car after people didn’t allow him to enter his village. Also Read - Muslim Man in Gujarat Buries-Cremates Bodies of COVID-19 Victims as India Deals With Stigma Around Coronavirus

According to New Indian Express, Madhab Patra, a videographer, had gone to Bihar for some work on May 3 and returned after three days. Upon his return, Patra was allowed by the administration to stay in home quarantine in Berhampur because he showed no Covid-19 symptoms.

After completing the 14-day quarantine period as per the norms, he went to his village Dolaba in his car, however, villagers opposed his entry and asked him to stay in quarantine. He even showed them his clearance certificate and negative test reports, but the villagers didn’t budge.

He accepted their request but decided to live in his car instead of staying in the quarantine center nearby.

“There is a risk of getting infected in institutional quarantine where many migrant workers are housed. So I decided to stay in my car. If I have to stay in quarantine twice, there is no point. Once I tested negative in Covid test and completed home quarantine I should have been free to go anywhere,” he told HT.

He now sleeps and eats in his car, and uses the bathrooms and toilets at the facility. Patra who has been staying inside his car since May 21 will complete the quarantine today.

Odisha has so far reported over 1,400 coronavirus cases, including seven deaths

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