If there are clusters of five or more cases of COVID-19 in hostels, boarding facilities or educational institutions, such places should be declared containment zones by the local health authorities and special surveillance measures should be initiated, said a circular issued from the Health Department on Saturday.
This apart, on the lines of restrictions earlier imposed on travellers from Kerala, the department has made it mandatory for those arriving from Maharashtra and checking into hotels, resorts, hostels, or homestays and dormitories to compulsorily produce a negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours. Owners of such places should ensure that the occupants produce a negative RT-PCR certificate, stated the circular.
“All students returning from Maharashtra should compulsorily produce RT-PCR negative certificates, not older than 72 hours, each time they return from Maharashtra, until the situation improves. Those who have arrived from Maharashtra in the last two weeks (colleges, hospitals, nursing home, hostel, hotel, lodge etc in the State of Karnataka) should compulsorily be subjected to RT-PCR test,” the circular further stated.
It added that employees of multinational companies put up at hotels, resorts and lodges or availing homestays in Karnataka should get the RT-PCR test done at their own cost. Implementing the SoPs will be the responsibility of the heads of these institutions.
In hostels and colleges, residents should not be allowed to have visitors/relatives without obtaining express permission from the COVID-19 nodal officers. A list of students travelling to and from Maharashtra from the hostel/college should be maintained by a competent authority.
Any potential for super spreading avenues (such as crowding in dining areas, waiting in halls, reading rooms, indoor playing areas, gymnasium etc.) should be prevented inside the hostel and colleges/schools. The meal timings should be staggered to ensure there is no crowding. Anyone who does not comply with this will be reported to the nodal person/authorities and made to strictly stay in the designated “quarantine room” in the facility till RT-PCR test report is negative.
Students from Maharashtra who reside in the hostels should avoid frequently travelling to their native place unless it is strongly justified and should return with a negative certificate. The guidelines for ensuring prevention of COVID-19 outbreaks in colleges will apply to hotels, resorts, apartments, and all residential facilities in Bengaluru.
Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said: “The State’s Technical Advisory Committee has said that the next one month (till March end) is crucial for Karnataka and there should be strict implementation of rules to avoid a second wave. As of now there is no proposal to impose any partial or complete lockdown in the State. But we may be forced to think about it if people do not cooperate.”
