After coming under rounds of sustained criticism of both the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front and the BJP, the Kerala government has retracted the move to enforce Covid-19 negative certification for home-bound non-residents by evacuation flights of the Vande Bharat Mission, chartered flights, and private aircraft with effect from Thursday.
This comes in the wake of the Centre rejecting the State government’s request for conducting the comparably prompt and cheaper TrueNat Beta CoV test at the originating station abroad. The respective Indian Missions in these countries also had cited the practical difficulties on ground for conducting the tests, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here.
Breaks record again
The restrictions came on Wednesday when the State recorded 152 new Covid-19 in a series of breaking record for single-day highs, and the first time it crossed the 150-mark. The Chief Minister said that 81 patients had recovered the same day. The new cases reported are among arrivals from Kuwait-49; the UAE-22; Saudi Arabia-12; Oman-5; Qatar-4; Bahrain-2; Tajikistan-2; Malaysia and Nigeria-1 each.
No fewer than 98 of the new positive cases are from among those who returned home from abroad while 46 had arrived from States within the country. Eight had been infected through primary contact; a saving grace in that this number has been confined within single-digits despite the exponential rise in reported new cases, and stands testimony to the effective containment strategy so far in the State.
The Chief Minister said that non-residents intending to fly back home and from origins equipped to carry out Covid-19 diagnostic tests should henceforth undergo the test within 72 hours of their departure and carry the certificate to the effect with them. All of them should have registered in advance their names on the Covid-19 Jagratha portal set up by the State.
Minimising risk
About 90 per cent of the new Covid-19 cases being reported in the State are by those who have arrived from outside, with 69 per cent from among those who have returned from abroad. “It is with a view to minimising the risk to the public at large that we have decided to implement a new set of guidelines for those who are taking the Vande Bharat flights,” the Chief Minister said.
“Without screening, we are putting at risk also the health of all those people who fly in together. But we also have limitations in conducting tests abroad. There is also a danger of super spreading of the virus inside the aircraft. Hence the new set of guidelines,” he added.
Those who have not taken a test ahead must undergo a rapid antibody test on arrival even if without symptoms. Those who test positive here must undergo RT-PCR or Gene Express or TruNat test. Even if they are negative, they must undergo the mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
Guidelines aboard flights
The Chief Minister said that those travelling from Qatar are allowed to board the flight only after a green status in Qatar’s Ehtraz mobile app. Upon arrival, they must undergo a Covid-19 screening test at the airport. A Covid-19 test certificate is a must for all those who come from the UAE. It may be noted that the UAE is conducting an antibody test for all those who fly out of the country.
Those travelling from Oman and Bahrain must wear an N95 mask, face shield and hand gloves. They should also use a hand sanitiser. Those flying in from Saudi Arabia must wear PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) for the safety of fellow travellers, in addition to the N95 mask, face shield and hand gloves.
The same rule applies to those who have not been tested before boarding in Kuwait.
Exit only after test results
Upon arrival, they will have to undergo a Covid-19 test at the airport. Passengers can exit from the airport only after the test results. Test facilities will be provided at these airports and the Health Department will take steps to safely dispose of the PPE kits, gloves and mask used by passenger.
The Chief Minister also added that strict action will be taken against those who violate the government's instructions and quarantine norms, under the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act. These matters will be communicated to the Foreign Ministry and the Embassies concerned.