THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After hours of confusion over the duration of quarantine period for expatriates, the state government has amended its earlier order that prescribed 14 days’ institutional quarantine for all incoming passengers and reduced it to seven days. The amended order came just hours before two batches of expatriates were slated to land in the state late on Thursday.
Earlier, the Norka department had issued an order prescribing 14 days’ institutional quarantine for all incoming passengers. This was on the basis of the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the Centre. Later, the order was amended and the 14-day institutional quarantine was made applicable only to those who have not been tested for Covid-19 prior to their departure to India.
“All incoming passengers who have not undergone testing at the point of departure will be put in institutional quarantine for 14 days. Those passengers tested and found Covid-19 negative will be put in institutional quarantine. If they do not develop symptoms after seven days, they will be put in home quarantine for the next seven days,” the revised order from Norka Department said.
The Centre has already clarified that all India-bound passengers will be subjected to Covid-19 tests and only those found negative will be allowed to board. Therefore, the institutional quarantine of only seven days will apply to all those who arrive in the state from abroad. The amended order also laid down that returnees should be transported to their respective districts for institutional quarantine and that the district administration concerned would provide accommodation for them.
Total exemption from institutional quarantine has been provided to pregnant women, persons needing immediate treatment, persons returning to attend ceremonies connected with the death of a close relative, aged persons needing continuous assistance and children below 10 years. These categories of people have to undergo 14 days’ home quarantine.
Entry from other states
The state government also issued an order modifying its earlier Standard Operating Procedure regarding entry of persons from other states. The modification was done on the basis of the centre coming out with a list of 130 most vulnerable districts that fall in the red zone. As per the order, all persons coming from any red zone in the country have to undergo institutional quarantine for 14 days. However, pregnant women and their accompanying spouses, persons above the age of 60 years and children below the age of 14 are allowed home quarantine for 14 days.
As per the revised order, persons arriving at the six designated state border entry points without entry pass issued by the state will be put under mandatory institutional quarantine irrespective of their district of origin of journey. The order also said persons from red zone districts shall be eligible for institutional quarantine in private facilities on payment basis. However, Health Minister K K Shailaja told media persons that only government facilities will be provided for such persons for the time being.
Total exemption
Total exemption from institutional quarantine has been provided to pregnant women, persons needing immediate treatment, those returning to attend ceremonies connected with the death of a close relative, aged persons needing continuous assistance and children below 10 years. They have to undergo 14 days’ home quarantine.