The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has relaxed institutional quarantine norms for fliers from the United Kingdom, which were introduced in December in the light of a new strain of Covid-19, which had emerged there, senior government officials said on Saturday.
The DDMA issued an order on Friday which said that fliers from UK who test negative for Covid-19 on arrival in Delhi would no longer have to complete a seven-day institutional quarantine, which was compulsory so far.
The order, a copy of which HT has seen, said that the step was taken after a review meeting which noted “low positivity rate” among UK returnees.
Under the old rule, people who arrived in Delhi from the UK had to complete seven days of institutional quarantine followed by another seven days of home quarantine even if they tested negative for Covid-19 on arrival, as a precautionary step against the new strain of the virus which is believed to have a higher transmission rate.
However, the fliers will still have to comply with seven days of home quarantine.
{{/usCountry}}However, the fliers will still have to comply with seven days of home quarantine.
{{/usCountry}}Those who tested positive earlier were moved to special wards set up in the government-run Lok Nayak hospital and their samples were further examined for the nature of the Covid-19 strain.
“The situation has now been reviewed and considering the low positivity rate of UK returnees, it has been decided that the additional measure of compulsory institutional quarantine of travellers who test negative may not be required furthermore... (But) strict surveillance (is) to be kept on persons who tested positive at the airport and kept in home quarantine,” said the order.