Maharashtra issues travel restrictions for Kerala, passengers must carry COVID-19 report

Maharashtra government on Thursday issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs), according to which passengers travelling from Kerala to Maharashtra will have to carry RT-PCR negative reports as a precautionary measure. As the number of COVID-19 cases in these two states is highest in the country, the governments are trying to make all possible efforts to normalise the situation. 

Maharashtra government's fresh guidelines

Chief secretary Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday asserted, “Following the powers conferred under Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and The Disaster Management Act 2005 in a capacity as chairperson, state executive committee, I hereby issue orders to extend the SOP issued vide the above-mentioned order to all the passengers arriving in Maharashtra from the state of Kerala with immediate effect, after careful consideration of planning and containment areas and availability of health infrastructure for strict implementation by the concerned authorities." [Sic.]

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Kumar further added that the passengers travelling in from trains are also required to carry RT-PCR negative test reports. However, they are allowed to make a collection of samples 96 hours before the scheduled arrival. Passengers without symptoms will be allowed entry, whereas, passengers with symptoms to be treated as per the existing protocol. Also, people coming by roads will have to undergo mandatory thermal screening. People with symptoms will be sent for antigen testing. 

Covid test is a must for passengers from these states:

The officials also said that the person testing positive at the time of border screening will be sent to Covid Care Centre and he will be responsible for the cost of further care. Earlier, the Maharashtra government made similar SOPs for the people coming from different parts of the country including Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa. People from these states are made mandatory to carry their RT-PCR negative test reports. 

The Maharashtra government issued a fresh set of guidelines, authorising government bodies to follow the guidelines based on the assessment of the situation in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The new guidelines with regard to travelling, gatherings, Covid-19 testing and other social distancing norms will remain the same as issued by the state government on November 23.

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