Melwyn D’Souza of Manjeshwar in Kerala, a final year nursing student from a college here, while returning home, got off the bus at Talapady on Monday evening. He and his classmate, also from Manjeshwar, have been asked by the college to produce COVID-19 negative certificate on Wednesday.
“We cannot afford to pay ₹800 and get RT-PCR test done. As the testing is done free here and as it is also convenient, we both underwent the test,” Melwyn D’Souza said. The Health Department personnel told them that the test report will be available by Tuesday evening.
Melwyn D’Souza was among the many students and other regular commuters between Kasaragod in Kerala and Mangaluru who underwent RT-PCR test at the testing centre that resumed round-the-clock functioning at Talapady on Monday after orders came from the State Government. On the first day, more than 200 people were tested.
While tests and screening of people are being done at Talapady, only screening is being done at Jalsoor and other border areas of the district, said District Health and Family Welfare Officer M. Kishore Kumar.
The police and Health Department personnel will work in three shifts to screen people round the clock. Screening and testing have not been stopped in Mangaluru Junction and Mangaluru Central railway stations, he said.
Dr. Kishore Kumar, who was at Talapady, said that colleges have been asked to ensure that all students who are commuting daily from Kasaragod district should get their tests done once in every fortnight. Buses operating between Dakshina Kannda and Kasaragod have been asked to ensure that commuters carry their RT-PCR test negative certificate when they are boarding buses that are bound for Dakshina Kannada.
COVID-19 Nodal Officer H. Ashok said that the airport officials have been told to conduct rapid tests of all those coming from Maharashtra. Passengers coming from high-risk countries and landing in the city airport by domestic flights should be tested and if they are found positive for COVID-19, they will be sent for 15 days institutional quarantine. If they are found negative, they have to remain under home quarantine and get tested after seven days. Private airlines have been asked to ensure compliance with these norms, he said.