Institutional quarantine may be must for foreign travellers entering Bengaluru

They are working on placing the proposal before the state and central governments to revise the advisory, as this will help control the spread of cases and reduce fear and anxiety among people.

Covid tests are being done for high-risk intl passengers at Auriga Research Centre inside the terminal of the Bengaluru airport. (Photo | Special Arrangement)

BENGALURU: With rising cases of foreigners coming into the city, checking into hotels and two testing positive for Covid-19, BBMP and health officials are mulling bringing back the norm where every foreign traveller to the city is subject to institutional quarantine and testing.

Officials said this was in practice during the first and second waves, but is now limited to those from high-risk countries only.

They are working on placing the proposal before the state and central governments to revise the advisory, as this will help control the spread of cases and reduce fear and anxiety among people.

“A woman traveller from Germany tested positive and has symptoms. We are checking on all international travellers who arrived to Bengaluru over the past month; the entry of new travellers needs to be closely monitored. She is the second case after the 66-year-old traveller from South Africa who tested positive, and stayed in a private hotel,” a BBMP official, seeking anonymity, told TNIE.

The official said the problem at hand is that advisories issued by the Central government need to be followed. Maharashtra had tried to change some of the guidelines and bring in more restrictions, but the Central government had objected and they had to be revoked.

“The government does not want to face any embarrassing situation, so it is being very cautious. But looking at the increase in Omicron cases in other states and travellers coming into the city, the government is now taking stern steps. We are thinking of proposing that international travellers who come to the city are subject to institutional quarantine, irrespective of the country they come from. They should undergo two rounds of RT-PCR tests and only after their test reports come negative, they can leave. Also, they must give an undertaking that they will not be incommunicado under any circumstances,” the official added.

Cap on test price

With RT-PCR tests made mandatory for all international passengers arriving at Kempegowda International Airport, the state govt announced price caps for both conventional as well as express tests. These are ICMR approved tests.

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