The Hindu : Apr 03, 2020, 08:46 AM
New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Thursday that persons being released from government-run quarantine centres are to further quarantine themselves at home for 14 days as a “measure of abundant precaution” in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.The MHA issued another set of guidelines to be followed by States and administrations during the ongoing 21-day lockdown period.The guidelines also detailed the standard operating procedure (SOP) for making transit arrangements for foreigners stranded in India.The SOP said requests received by foreign governments for evacuations of their citizens would be examined by the MEA on “case to case” basis. “The chartered flight would be arranged by concerned foreign government in consultation with the Ministry of Civil Aviation,” the MHA said.It said each foreign national would be screened for COVID-19 symptoms prior to departure and only asymptomatic ones would be allowed to leave. The local transportation was to be arranged by the local embassy or consulate and the transit pass for movement of vehicles would be issued by the State government.Own transportThe SOP for those completing quarantine period in government facilities said that “persons testing negative for COVID-19 would be released… however this will not apply to a group where even one person tests positive.” These persons are to return to their homes by making their own transport arrangements.“The transit pass will be issued for fixed route and specified validity,” the MHA said.It also asked such persons to quarantine themselves at home for another 14 days. “Details of persons released from quarantine, along with their destination, will be shared with the concerned State/UT for necessary follow up,” the Ministry said.The first set of such guidelines to be followed by States for “containment of COVID-19 epidemic” in the country was issued on March 24 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, invoked for the first time in the country.