Karnataka Exempts 7-Day Quarantine For Short-Term Travellers, Healthcare Professionals & Others From Kerala

Karnataka has exempted constitutional functionaries, healthcare professionals, children below two years, short-term travellers, passengers in transit to and from Kerala from institutional quarantine. 

Vehicle checking (Representative picture)

Chennai: The Karnataka government has exempted a selection of passengers from undergoing mandatory institutional quarantine. According to a circular issued by the state government on Wednesday, constitutional functionaries, healthcare professionals and their spouses, children aged below two years, short-term travellers, passengers in transit to and from Kerala via any mode of transport are exempted from the institutional quarantine. 

Quoting Jawaid Akhtar, additional chief secretary of health and family welfare department, a Times of India report said that travellers from Kerala other than students and employees should produce RT-PCR negative test report and should be quarantined for seven days. 

The report said that the government has also exempted people travelling due to emergency situations like medical treatment or to funerals and students visiting Karnataka for examination along with a parent for not more than three days from the institutional quarantine. 

Pointing out that institutional quarantine is mandatory for other students and employees from Kerala, the report said quoting the circular, the education institutions, companies and firms should take up the responsibility of providing institutional quarantine for their students and employees. 

The report said that the officials were allowing only those commuters with RT-PCR negative test results to enter Dakshina Kannada district and officials from health, backward classes and welfare department and panchayats were deployed along the state borders to monitor the people's movement. 

Quoting a health inspecting officer M Pradeep, the report said that they had witnessed several instances where people are submitted time-barred test reports and many of them are unaware of the rules. 

Meanwhile, Karnataka has reported 1,159 fresh Covid-19 cases and 21 fatalities on Wednesday.