Delhi L-G revokes '5-day institutional quarantine order' amid Kejriwal's stiff opposition

In face of stiff opposition from the Delhi government on his '5-day institutional quarantine', Delhi's Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal, on Saturday, rolled back his order. The decision was taken in the second meeting held between the L-G and ministers on Saturday. Baijal stated that only those people who 'do not have adequate facilities for home isolation' will undergo institutional isolation.

Coronavirus Live Updates: India's cases soar to 3,95,048; recovery rate improves to 54.13%

Baijal revokes 5-day quarantine order 

COVID: CM Kejriwal opposes L-G’s 5-day mandatory institutional quarantine order in Delhi

What was the 5-day institutional order?

In the order, Anil Baijal said it was observed that home isolation without physical monitoring of the COVID-19 patient may be one of the reasons for the spike in the spread of coronavirus infection in Delhi. To limit the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital, it was felt that mandatory physical verification of each case under home isolation needs to be carried out by the district surveillance officers. The order stated that every COVID-19 positive person in home quarantine will have to stay in 5-day institutional quarantine.

AAP's Atishi terms 5-day institutional quarantine order 'wrong'; cites personal experience

Kejriwal slams order, questions shift in ICMR protocol

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Saturday, took strong objection to the 5-day quarantine order at the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) meeting. The chief minister said that there is a shortage of health care workers in Delhi and LG's order will over-burden the health care system as it won't be possible to arrange for nurses and doctors for thousands of patients at a quarantine center. He also argued that the order will scare the asymptomatic and people with mild symptoms from getting themselves tested which might lead to further spread of the disease.

Delhi: Five-days institutional quarantine made mandatory for all COVID-19 patients

Kejriwal also questioned why the order differed from ICMR's protocol of home quarantine for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases.  Due to opposing opinions, there was no consensus on the issues and the meeting was rescheduled. Delhi has reported 53,116 COVID-19 cases as on Saturday, of which 27,512 are active, 23,569 have been cured and discharged whereas 2,035 have succumbed to the virus, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.