GM Shankar, an activist and resident of Madipakkam said that he had recently returned from Tiruchy with his family and voluntarily remained under home quarantine as per e-pass conditions. “We returned to the city on August 4 and stayed indoors. A few Corporation officials came to our house and pasted the 14-day home quarantine sticker. As per norms, persons traveling within the state must stay under home quarantine for only seven days,” he said.

A Corporation Health Department official clarified that the e-pass rules mandate that the civic body put people returning from other districts to the city under quarantine for 21 days. “For the first seven days, the persons should stay in quarantine facilities. Then, they should be home quarantined for 14 days. As we now keep infected people in isolation for 14 days only, we have relaxed home quarantine norms for returnees too. Some people read the first condition (seven-day quarantine) and get confused,” the official explained. The civic body continues to test those returning from Maharashtra, Delhi and abroad. “Recently, 40 people returned from Moscow and 32 tested positive. We are not taking chances on returnees from abroad,” the official said.