Punjab issues revised guidelines for all returnees; mandates COVA App and quarantine

As domestic flights resume on Monday, Punjab government has released its own guidelines for all passengers domestic as well as international via rail, rail and buses. While the revised guidelines are similar to those issued by the Centre, Punjab government has added mandatory usage of its COVA App for all returnees. Moreover, the state has also mentioned that frequent inter-state travellers like MP/MLA, salespersons, doctors, journalists, traders, executives, engineers, consultants need not be home-quarantined.

CM Amarinder Singh mandates 14-day home quarantine for those coming to Punjab

Punjab issues new guidelines for all returnees

Centre issues guidelines for domestic air,rail, bus travel; states to decide on quarantine

Centre issues domestic travel guidelines

On Sunday, Centre issued a list of guidelines for any kind of domestic travel (air/rail/inter-state bus). The 12 guidelines advises downloading Aarogya Setu app, mandates face masks during travel, sanitisation of airports, bus terminals, railway stations, thermal screening. It also allows states to develop their own protocol for quarantine and isolation. 

The guidelines state that asymptomatic passengers are permitted to travel, but will be advised to self-monitor for 14 days. Meanwhile, symptomatic patients will be nearest COVID health facility, with mild symptomatic patients given the option of home quarantine - if they test negative. The Centre has also advised asymptomatic people to inform district surveillance officer if they develop symptoms.

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Punjab's COVID-19 battle

Punjab is one of the states which has mandated that people coming from other States via rail, road and air would have to undergo compulsory home quarantine for 14 days. As of date, around 3.25 lakh of the 13 lakh migrants have returned so far through trains and 17,000 have returned via buses. The state's COVID-19 tally stands at 2060 cases with 1898 recoveries and 40 deaths.

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Rapid testing teams would check on the home quarantined persons while those found symptomatic would have to undergo thorough testing in hospitals/isolation centres, the CM said. Punjab would not rely on any certificates of testing from any part of the country or the world. He cited Punjab’s experience with those who came from Maharashtra and Rajasthan, as well as the more recent case of Dubai, from where Punjabis coming back had tested positive despite carrying medical certificates showing them to be negative.