Travellers from ‘high-risk’ countries like China to be quarantined for 7 days in Karnataka

“In this context, to sustain the gains achieved so far in surveillance, and containment efforts, it is necessary to trace, track and quarantine the primary and secondary contacts of Covid-positive persons more effectively. The Primary and Secondary Contacts (PC/ SC) are to be quarantined within 24 hours of identification at their designated places/homes. Similarly, international travellers from high-risk places (China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand) need to be home quarantined strictly for seven days from the date of their arrival. Once the PC/SC test positive, they are to be treated and managed as per the State Covid protocol,” the department said.

The health department released detailed guidelines stating that the RT-PCR certificate of each passenger from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand should be verified upon arrival for negative Covid-19 status, before allowing them to leave the airport premises.

“On arrival if any of the international passengers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand countries are found symptomatic, they shall be immediately isolated and transferred to the designated medical facility (Government or Private) for clinical management as per protocol. Samples should be collected and submitted for RT-PCR testing and for Genome Sequencing…” the guidelines issued by health commissioner Randeep D said.

“Other asymptomatic passengers shall leave the airport and self-monitor their health for Covid symptoms and comply to Covid appropriate behaviour (CAB) like wearing of face masks, social distancing, practice respiratory and hand hygiene, etc. and strictly remain under home quarantine for next seven days. In the meantime, if they develop symptoms like fever, cough, cold, body ache, headache, loss of taste and smell, diarrhoea, breathing difficulty, etc. they shall immediately self-isolate and report to the local surveillance health team for testing.

“If tested positive they shall be shifted to the designated medical facility (Government or Private) for isolation. Positive samples shall be sent for WGS (whole genome sequencing). Subsequently, triaging and further management at the medical facility or home isolation subject to facilities available shall be decided and the same shall be complied by the patient,” the guidelines further said.

The guidelines said that if the WGS report (usually received after seven days) were to detect BF.7 or a new sub-variant, then another sample would be taken for an RT-PCR test and the person shall follow Covid-appropriated behaviour in a strict manner till the results are known.

“If children below 12 years of age who are exempted from both pre-departure and post-arrival testing, develop symptoms on arrival or during the period of self-monitoring and home quarantine for next seven days, they shall follow the same protocol as above for adults except that a parent /guardian in good health shall accompany them and be the caregiver to the child during the period of isolation and treatment as applicable,” the health department stated in the guidelines.