On Thursday, December 2, Maharashtra Health Minister, Rajesh Tope stated that the state health department was not consulted by the relief and rehabilitation department that had earlier made institutional quarantine for a week compulsory for all international travellers coming from “at-risk” countries, reported the Indian Express.
He further mentioned that the government will annul the compulsory RT-PCR test for interstate passengers.
Earlier, on November 30, an order had been issued making negative RT-PCR test reports 48 hours of within arrival compulsory irrespective of the inoculation status compulsory for domestic travellers. Based on the account, Tope elaborated on how they weren’t consulted when the November 30 order was issued.
Further, Tope was quoted stating that the order has now been deferred which was, according to him, hastily sign. The previous order had resulted in protests and many passengers had voiced their discontent regarding those travel restrictions.
Therefore, after receiving backlash, the state government amended the travel guidelines. Based on the new updates, only those passengers from “ultra-risk” countries (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Zimbabwe) will be required to undergo mandatory seven days of institutional quarantine.
Those, from “at-risk” countries, will need to follow the guidelines issued by the Centre. Additionally, Tope is reported to have remarked that the state government will soon proclaim the revised guidelines for domestic air travel.
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