Coronavirus lockdown: Karnataka readies hotels for foreign returnees

The first group of 10,823 people from Karnataka comprising of tourists, visitors, students, and ship crew will arrive on May 8.

The stranded state residents are expected to land in one of the airports at Bengaluru or Mangaluru, or in the seaports in Mangaluru or Karwar.

Health commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said the returnees will pay their hotel bills. He also added that the Bengaluru Rural and Bengaluru Urban commissioners and the BBMP commissioner have finalised the rates with the city hotels.

Minister Suresh Kumar allayed fears that the foreign returnees would become the source of fresh Corona infections. Kumar, the minister in-charge of Covid-19 media briefing, said a 20-page standard operating procedure has been finalised after consultation with the chief secretary.

“We have large health screening teams at the airports,” the minister said. “After the check-up, the asymptomatic passengers will be quarantined at the hotels at their own expense as per the Government of India (GOI) guidelines. Bengaluru Urban and Rural DCs and the BBMP commissioner have finalised the hotels. The passengers will get first and second choices.”

The GOI has termed the hotels ‘Covid-19 Care Centres’.

Health apps mandatory, says govt

The returnees must download the Arogya Setu and Quarantine Watch apps. Their data will be collected before they leave the airport. Their swabs will be taken thrice — on the first day, between the fifth and seventh day and 12th day.

“The second test will be done between the fifth and seventh day. If they test negative, they can go home and will be quarantined for seven days,” Health commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said.