IIMB creates bio-bubble to help in phased return of students to campus

Students who wish to return have to undergo a COVID-19 test 72 hours before reaching the campus.

So far, 1,053 people have been tested for COVID-19 at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.

To help students return to campus in a phased manner, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) has created a bio-bubble where students who come to the campus are isolated for 14 days. The institute said it has done this to create a safe and secure environment for the students and staff and minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

While all the classes are still being held online, many students wanted to return to the campus as they were facing infrastructure constraints at home, included poor internet connectivity and power disruption. The first batch of students returned at the end of June.

According to IIMB officials, students who wish to return have to undergo a COVID-19 test 72 hours before reaching the campus and then have to isolate themselves for 14 days on getting to the campus. “Once their isolation period is complete, they have to undergo an RT-PCR test,” a note from IIMB stated. The students are not allowed to leave the campus unless permitted by the health centre.

The institute had formed a steering committee in March to meet thrice a week and monitor all of its activities and initiatives. Regular advisories are issued to the IIMB staff and students. The institute has also established a few rules on the campus, including restricting the number of visitors, asking all students and staff to wear face masks in common areas, and ensuring that only one person sits on a table in the dining area.

IIMB authorities said that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities had been extremely proactive and had helped follow the COVID-19 safety norms while also assisting the institute in conducting regular tests on campus. So far, 1,053 people have been tested at the institute.

Rudresh K., nodal officer for COVID-19 at Bilekahalli ward in Bommanahalli zone, BBMP, said they had to initially persuade to the staff and students to use the services of the BBMP to get tested. “But after we conducted a few camps on the campus, people are very forthcoming to get themselves tested. This has helped us stop a spread of the infection on campus.”