The State Health Department has directed authorities of government quarantine centres to send all persons who have tested negative to their homes and keep them under home quarantine.
“After detailed deliberations, it has been decided that persons who test negative for COVID-19 should be kept under home quarantine for 14 days and their health shall be monitored by field workers of the Health Department. During the home quarantine period of 14 days if any symptoms develop, the person should be immediately tested and brought to the COVID hospital,” stated a circular issued by Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey on Tuesday.
The Hindu had reported on Tuesday that inmates of quarantine centres are worried over possible risk of transmission within the facilities.
As per the policy of the State government, the primary contacts of COVID-19 positive patients are kept in institution quarantine. The high risk primary contacts — those suffering from comorbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, HIV, etc. are kept in hospital while low risk contacts are kept at hotels or hostels, the circular stated.
Meanwhile, some of the quarantined inmates at Haj Bhavan, who were being sent home on Tuesday after testing negative, refused to go in government vehicles as they feared stigma from neighbours. A group of social workers dropped them home in private vehicles.