State mandates one-week home quarantine for those coming from abroad, people mostly affected by Omicron are from low risk countries

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George said that as per the central guidelines, seven-day mandatory home quarantine will be imposed on all passengers arriving in the state from foreign countries. RTPCR test will be done on the eighth day.

Omicron was confirmed on 280 people in the state. Of these, those from low-risk countries were the most affected by the virus. 186 people from low-risk countries and 64 from high-risk countries contracted the disease. Thirty people got infected through contacts. Self-observation was earlier permitted for those coming from low-risk countries. As Omicron was confirmed on more people from low risk countries, the state had asked them to be in home quarantine. The minister said home quarantine system would be tightened as per the central guidelines.

RTPCR tests are conducted on passengers arriving in the airport on the basis of high and low risk countries. RTPCR test will be conducted on those coming from high risk countries. If turn negative, they will be in home quarantine for seven days and RTPCR test should be conducted on the eighth day. If turn negative again, they will have to be in self-observation for another seven days. The samples of those turning positive will be sent for genome testing. They will be subjected to isolation. Treatment is according to standard protocol and will be discharged as per the directive of the doctor.

The central guideline says to conduct random testing on samples of 2% people from low risk countries. However, the samples of 20 % people are tested randomly. Those turning negative should be in home quarantine for seven days, should conduct the RTPCR test on the eighth day and if turn negative again, should be in self-observation for seven days. The samples of those tuning positive will be sent for genome testing. The treatment will be as per standard protocol.

Tests would be repeated if they develop any symptoms during the time of quarantine or turn positive during self-observation.