HYDERABAD: With the Indian government issuing orders mandating that those returning from Italy from Tuesday should procure a no-Coronavirus certificate from the Italian government, many Indians, including a few Telugus, are now in a fix.
The conundrum lies in the fact that the Italian government is refusing to test a person until he or she shows the symptoms of the disease, said Phani Ram Vana Varma, a Hyderabad resident who studies in Italy.
Phani, who is also a student representative, said around 10-15 from the country are in the northern part of Italy where most, including a few Telugus, study in various colleges. "Most of them returned to India before March 1 to avoid these regulations," he said.
"We are in touch with the Indian Consulate-General in Italy and the Embassy. They are deciding on how to sort out these things. They are trying to see if an exemption be agreed upon," Varma, a native of Jeedimetla, Quthubllapur, said. He is currently in Milan after the Italian government shut down the universities.
The Indian Consulate-General in Italy has reportedly contacted the Ministry of Health there asking for an exemption for people who want to return to India. “If the Italian government agrees, there will be no use for a certificate,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that the Central government recently issued a notice stating that people travelling from Italy or South Korea must submit a certificate showing that they have tested negative for Coronavirus. The advisory would be enforced from Tuesday and would be a temporary measure, the Health Ministry said.
This was after the situation in Italy went south with over 350 people died after contracting Coronavirus. Italy is now the worst-hit country in the world after China. "Italians neglected the warnings. People were roaming around without wearing masks, going to work and partying on roads despite there being Coronavirus scare. But now, the Italian government has advised people to stay at home," Varma said while explaining how the situation got worse.