The Kerala government has issued a fresh set of guidelines for Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs) returning to the State to ensure strict compliance with the campaign to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The new directives by the Disaster Management Department are in tune with the Central government guidelines and contain procedures that aim to check transmission of COVID-19 through contact.
The directives are meant for inbound air, rail or road travellers from other States and abroad. They define the safety measures to be undergone at airports, seaports and border check-posts and the procedures to be followed during home quarantine subsequently.
After registration
On completion of the registration process by expatriates at the COVID-19 counter, the information will be passed on to the civic body, police, COVIDd care nodal officer and the District Collector. The police will ensure that the returnee reaches his/her home or the right quarantine centre and the local administration will check whether the facilities at the place of stay match with what the returnee had revealed earlier. The guidelines specify that it is the returnee’s responsibility to alert his/her neighbours about the arrival and make them aware of the rules related to quarantine. The returnee has to also know whether his/her neighbourhood has people of the age or health condition vulnerable to COVID-19, and direct them on ways to take special care to avert chances of acquiring the disease.
Penal action under the IPC and the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 will be taken by the police against returnees flouting the guidelines.