The Karnataka government, on Monday, August 30, stated that students and employees arriving from Kerala to Karnataka will be sent to compulsory institutional quarantine for seven days. Students and employees from Kerala also need an RT-PCR negative report which is not older than 72 hours before entry to the state. This applies to all students from Kerala studying any discipline including, but not restricted to, nursing, medical, engineering, paramedical etc. On the seventh day of the institutional quarantine, these people will have to undergo an RT-PCR test. If they test negative, they will be allowed to leave the facility.
“The guidelines will also be applicable to all employees who are employed in Karnataka and arriving from Kerala or have visited Kerala in the previous seven days before entry to Karnataka. It is the responsibility of the management/ employer to enforce the same,” the Karnataka govt order said. The government added that there will be strict surveillance at the border posts set up by the districts adjoining Kerala and Maharashtra.
It is also not known yet if the institutional quarantine will be paid or free. Sources in the Health Minister’s office said that the details of institutional quarantine for short-term visitors will be discussed.
The government announced this decision after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with officials on the reopening of schools for Class 6-8 students. This order comes at a time when the daily infections in Kerala continue to be rising and are reportedly likely to increase in the coming days. The decision was announced by State Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Monday evening after a meeting was held discussing the COVID-19 curbs ahead of the Ganesh Chaturti festival season in September.
Earlier this month, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had made institutional quarantine mandatory for those entering Karnataka from other parts of the country, especially Kerala and Maharashtra. They either had to bring a negative RT-PCT test report or remain in the institutional quarantine to get tested and wait till the results came back.
In other decisions announced by the state government, officials were directed to consider relaxing certain restrictions in Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Kolar and Kalaburagi districts.
Night curfew will be relaxed in all districts except Kodagu, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts border Kerala in southern Karnataka.
“Positivity rate has increased to 19% in Kerala and every day, 30,000 cases are being reported. Therefore restrictions will continue in Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu,” the statement read.