In Gujarat village, a community steam centre to fight second wave of COVID-19

The steam centre near the panchayat office in Tareti village

Amid the second wave of COVID-19, a village in the Mahesana taluka of Gujarat has come up with a community strategy to fight the infection. With taking frequent, regular steams considered one of the way of strengthening oneself against the infection, a senior citizen of the village started a free of cost steam booth for the 3,000 residents.

The vessel in which medicinal ingredients are mixed in water and boiled to provide steam

The initiative was taken after the village saw five COVID cases and three deaths. Having learnt that steam can help fight the virus, Haresh Patel, created the centre called, Medicinal Steam Centre, near the panchayat office. Each villager takes steam twice daily.

Patel said, "Three people have died in our village amid the second wave. COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms are advised to drink plain hot water or with lemon juice and take steam. However, purchasing steam machines is not possible for all villagers. So we started the steam centre two days ago."

A woman takes steam at the Medicinal Steam Centre in the village

"The steam centre operates from 7 am to noon and from 5 pm to 7 pm," Patel said.

Patel added, "To create the steam, we use a big round vessel in which we add leaves of heart-leaved moonseed (giloy), neem, mor (it mostly grows on mango trees), ginger and cloves and boil the ingredients in water. Then the steam is given through a pipe connected to the cabin. The village has around 600 homes and around 3,000 people taking steam two-three times a day. There is a long queue every day."