The government has decided to allow Keralites returning home from other parts of the country to undergo home quarantine rather than institutional quarantine, provided they do not have any symptoms.
The guidelines for observing home quarantine will be officially issued soon.
The government has decided to make this concession following the recommendations of the expert group headed by B. Ekbal.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Saturday that the decision to send non-resident Keralites from other States on home quarantine had been taken as Kerala had proven that home quarantine could be implemented effectively, with the active cooperation of local bodies and people.
The decision was also occasioned by the fact that the State could be overwhelmed, given the huge number of people waiting to get home from abroad as well as from the rest of the country.
Those coming from other States will undergo a medical check-up upon arrival. If they do not have any symptoms, they will be sent on home quarantine for 14 days. Those found to be having any kind of symptoms will be made to undergo PCR test and then sent to COVID care hospitals.
If those in home quarantine develop any symptoms, they will be tested and further medical care will be made available. Only those with symptoms will be tested using PCR. The government was trying to get antibody kits for testing and these would be utilised as and when these become available.
All pregnant women who came on flights these past two days have been allowed to go on home quarantine. However, if they require any kind of medical attention, they cannot just opt for the hospital of their choice. They will have to first get in touch with the Health Department’s control room and proceed as per their advice.
The State is trying to fight COVID-19 when in all other parts of the country, the disease transmission is increasing day by day. Kerala’s priority is to ensure that the current state of low disease transmission is not upset by ensuring that the huge influx of people from other COVID-19-affected places is meticulously managed.
