People who are travelling to Delhi from the United Kingdom will have to undertake a seven-day institutional quarantine even though they test negative for COVID-19. This was announced by Chief Minister Arvind Kerjiwal on Friday, with tightening protocols to "protect Delhiites" from the new UK strain of SARS-CoV-2.

The passengers will have to also undergo home-quarantine for more seven days after completing the institutional quarantine, ensuring through "strict surveillance" by district authorities.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority said that the new rules will be applicable till 14th January on a trial basis. An official said that a decision regarding extending the implementation of the new rules shall be taken after reviewing the situation.

The chief minister said that people who test positive for COVID-19 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport coming from the UK would be isolated at facilities that are set up by the government. He further said that to protect Delhiites from the virus exposure from the UK, the Delhi government has taken strict and important decisions. Travellers will have to compulsorily undergo a self-paid RT-PCR test on arrival at the airport.

Chief Secretary Vijay Dev said that those people who are negative will be given the option of both the paid as well as the governments free institutional quarantine facility.

Till now, thirteen Delhi residents are found infected with the new mutant variant of COVID-19. Kejriwal had urged the Centre to extend the ban that has been imposed on flights between India and the UK till 31st January due to "extremely serious" coronavirus situation in UK.

Authorities have selected a few hotels near the Indira Gandhi International Airport for a paid institutional quarantine facility for those people who don’t want to stay at government-run centres. People who want the governments free quarantine facility are taken to Terapanth Bhawan in Chhatarpur area of South Delhi.

The government has created isolated facilities at the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital along with Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital.

Kejriwal said that with great difficulty, people have got the COVID situation in control in the city. The UKs COVID situation has become very serious so then why to lift the ban and expose the people to risk?

On 23rd December, the central government suspended flight services from the UK. Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that flights from India to the UK will recommence from 6th January, while services from UK to India would resume from 8th January.

Asper the SOP that is issued by the health ministry this month, all travellers from the UK between January 8 and January 30 will have to undergo self-paid COVID-19 tests on arrival. Approximately 1,400 Delhi residents have arrived between 25th November and 23rd December 2020, leading the authorities to start a door-to-door check-up of such people and their contacts. Those people who tested positive for the new strain are kept in isolated rooms at the LNJP Hospital. Almost 66 people, including those people who had recently returned from the UK and their contacts, were tested positive for the coronavirus.

On 30th December, the Delhi government had ordered the setup of isolation facilities at 4 private hospitals: Batra Hospital and Research Centre, Tughlakabad Institutional Area; Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, Saket; Fortis Super Specialty Hospital, Vasant Kunj, and Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital.

Source: ET Healthworld