Institutional quarantine must in Maha for passengers from high-risk nations

Passengers arriving from the twelve “at risk” countries will have to undergo seven days institutional quarantine in Mumbai and all domestic passengers from other states (irrespective of their vaccination status) will have to carry a negative RT-PCR test done within 48 hours of arrival.

The central government health guidelines which come into effect from Tuesday midnight require passengers from such countries to take an on-arrival Coronavirus (Covid-19) test. But there is no institutional quarantine requirement for passengers testing negative under the central guidelines.

Maharashtra, however, has decided to introduce institutional quarantine for all arrivals. The issue was discussed at a review meeting called by BMC commissioner I S Chahal on Saturday and it was decided that passengers arriving from countries at risk shall be subject to a compulsory quarantine for seven days.

The order was issued by state’s new chief secretary Debashish Chakrabarty late on Tuesday evening barely a few hours before the December 1 deadline. Airline and airport officials fear that it would be a nightmare managing the passengers arriving into the city on Tuesday midnight as they would be clueless about the quarantine rule.

According to the government’s latest order international passengers coming from at risk countries will have to undergo mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine. Such passengers would have to undergo a RT-PCR test on the second, fourth and seventh day and would be allowed to go home on receipt of a negative result. The passenger then has to quarantine for home for another seven days.

The rules also say in case of domestic air travel passengers within the state will either have to be fully vaccinated or compulsorily carry a RT-PCR test within 48 hours of arrival. “In case of passengers from other states, negative RT-PCR test within 48 hours of arrival will be compulsory without exemptions,” the order said.