Return of expats is Kerala’s new Covid challenge

A matter of concern is the apparent lack of agreement between the state and Centre on the manner in which the expats are to be put under surveillance.

Indian nationals, all from Kerala are being brought back from Abu Dhabi under Vande Bharat Mission during coronavirus lockdown. (Photo| ANI)

The arrival of expats marks the start of another crucial phase in Kerala’s battle against COVID-19. With nearly five lakh non-resident Keralites registering to return, the state has the twin task of handling the inflow without causing much inconvenience to the returnees and keeping its track record in containing the pandemic intact.

It’s easier said than done given that one misstep could undo whatever the state has achieved, compromising the acclaimed Kerala model. What is making its job tougher is the return of thousands of Keralites stuck elsewhere in the country.

A matter of concern is the apparent lack of agreement between the state and Centre on the manner in which the expats are to be put under surveillance. The Kerala government has planned a seven-day institutionalised quarantine and a further seven days of surveillance at home. Here again, pregnant women, the elderly and children are not required to undergo institutional quarantine.

The Centre is in favour of a 14-day quarantine in government-controlled facilities. While the fact that Kerala is ready with adequate facilities to accommodate the returnees is comforting, its strategy of home quarantine doesn’t inspire confidence. Sparing certain groups entirely from institutionalised surveillance could prove costly.

We have seen how the system of house quarantine helped spread the virus in the initial stages of the outbreak. The question is, should we take chances when there are safer options available? For example, pregnant women and the elderly can be shifted to hospitals on arrival, and children, assuming they won’t be travelling on their own, can be quarantined with their families.

With just about 25 active cases and 260 people under observation in hospitals, Kerala’s COVID-fighting infrastructure comprising hospitals, isolation centres and other facilities is lying unused, which can be put to use to house the returnees. But if the government does go ahead with its home quarantine policy, it must install a foolproof monitoring mechanism to ensure past mistakes are not repeated.