Coronavirus: Karnataka govt releases new SOPs for interstate travellers

A new standard operating procedure (SOP) was released in Karnataka for interstate passengers here on late Friday night.

According to the new SOP, passengers will be sent to institution quarantine for seven days if they arrive from these high-risk states -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, followed by seven days of home quarantine.

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These returnees will be tested between the fifth day to the seventh day. Returnees from all other Indian states will be home quarantined for 14-days. However, there are exemptions to institutional quarantine.

Four categories of people: Pregnant women along with one attendant, those above 80 years of age along with one attendant, children below the age of 10 along with one attendant, and terminally-ill patients with cancer, chronic kidney disease, or stroke, along with one attendant, will be tested on arrival and if found negative will be sent for 14-day home quarantine.

Seva Sindhu registration is mandatory for entry into the state.

In special cases where businessmen are coming for special work, for example, bidders coming to participate in an auction of perishable commodities, they are permitted without the necessity of quarantine, if they bring negative COVID-19 test report not older than two days from the date of travel from an ICMR-approved laboratory.

If they don't have such a certificate, they can stay in paid quarantine, that is, the government-identified hotels, until the test result comes out. After a negative test result, they will be allowed to finish their engagements and return.

If their total stay is beyond five days, they will go to a fever clinic, and get themselves examined to get an extension of five days, if found asymptomatic.

All returnees who have come to Karnataka since May 4, will be tested between the fifth and seventh day of arrival. If they test negative, they will be sent home for the remaining quarantine period. The usual process of hand stamping and notices for home quarantine should be followed.

Interstate movement of medical professionals, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation personnel and ambulances is allowed with only home quarantine.

When members of the defence, paramilitary, railways, DRDO, ISRO, PSUs prefer to stay in institutional quarantine for 14 days in a dedicated guest house or quarantine facility of the organisation, then they should be allowed to do so.

In rural areas, those staying in farmhouses are allowed to be quarantined in the farmhouses.