The health department in Karnataka has made it mandatory for international travellers and passengers coming from Kerala to get the COVID-19 test done and carry a negative report before arriving at Bengaluru.
On Tuesday, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner Manjunath Prasad said that all the travellers from Kerala arriving at Bengaluru will be asked to carry COVID-19 negative reports not older than 72 hours.
Prasad further added that passengers from Kerala failing to show a COVID-negative certificate will have to take an RT-PCR test at Bengaluru. If they test negative, travellers are free to roam around. However, people with a positive result will have to quarantine at a COVID care centre.
That's not all. In an official circular, the Karnataka government said, &ldquoIt is mandatory for passengers arriving in Karnataka from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa to produce RT-PCR negative certificate to board the flight and also at the Bengaluru airport. They must also undergo home quarantine for 14 days and get a follow-up RT-PCR test done on the seventh day of their arrival.&rdquo
According to the announcement, apart from international travellers, students arriving at Bengaluru from Kerala will be subjected to COVID-19 testing. Meanwhile, day boarders who travel back and forth to Kerala will get tested every fortnight. Hostels and colleges are appointing nodal officers to keep track of the health conditions of students and making sure all social distancing rules are strictly followed.
The health department in Karnataka has imposed strict rules on travellers from Kerala and international borders, it has also released SOPs for educational institutes to adhere to. Employees working in different sectors like multinational companies, hotels, resorts, lodges, etc are advised to get regular RT-PCR tests done. However, the costs for the same will be borne by the employees themselves.