Keen to avoid fresh overseas cases after successfullycontaining coronavirus spread in the state, the government hasissued an order stating that expats who possess certificatesshowing that they tested negative for coronavirus can registerwith NORKA (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) department. "We will allow only those people who carry the COVIDnegative certificate (to travel to the state). Only afterwhich they can register with NORKA", state Home Secretary DrVishwas Mehta told in an interview.
After the Non-Resident Keralites register themselves, thegovernment would draw up a list on how to bring them back asper priority, he said.
The order, issued late on Tuesday, specifically mentionsthat the registration is for arranging quarantine facilitiesin the state for the NRKs, if necessary, and not for gettingany priority in flight bookings.
As per the guidelines prepared by state government forthe return of NRKs, they will have to get themselves testedfrom the country where they are before emplaning for Keralaand should also be having COVID-19 negative certificates. Mehta, who is also the Additional Chief Secretary, saidthe government has drawn up a strategy to accommodate up to 10lakh symptomatic people, including NRKs, for the purpose ofquarantine if there was a huge surge. "Our strategy is NRKs should get themselves tested andcome to the state with a COVID-19 negative certificate. Oncethey reach the state, they will be tested at the airports. Ifthey are found symptomatic, they would be shifted to COVIDcare centres. Those without any symptoms will be sent home,but they will be under observation for 14 days", he said.
According to official estimates, there are least 33 lakhNRKs who are residing in various countries, including 22 lakhin the Gulf region, and the government is expecting aroundthree to 5.5 lakh of them to come back within 30 days oncethe flight services are resumed.
There has been a huge demand from the Non ResidentKeralites, settled in various parts of the globe, especiallythe Gulf, where lakhs of people from the state are employed,to return to the state due to the COVID-19 situation.
Those with expired visas, the elderly, pregnant women,children, critically ill patients, students who have completedtheir courses, and others are among the large number of peoplewho are waiting to come back.
The government is expecting a huge influx of NRKs andalso Malayalees from other states in the country to returnonce the lockdown, in force till May 3 now, is lifted and airservices resume.
Kerala was the first state in the country to reportCOVID-19 cases when three students from Wuhan in China testedpositive on their return home early this year.
The state did well in not only ensuring their recoverybut also in containing the spread of the virus after morepeople who returned from affected countries like Italy andGulf region before the lockdown testing positive for thedeadly infection.
The treatment model adopted by Kerala has won globalappreciation with some foreigners, who were treated here,saying the state was more safe.
Of the total 426 cumulative cases, there were only 117active COVID-19 patients now under treatment with as many as307 people having been discharged as of Tuesday. There wereonly two deaths due to the disease in the state.
But, the state is now keeping its fingers crossed asthere had been a surge in COVID-19 cases in contrast to singledigit cases for several days.
Of the 19 positive cases reported on Tuesday, as many as13 had returned from abroad, three from Tamil Nadu, one fromUttar Pradesh and two had been infected through localtransmission.
On quarantine facilities, Mehta said in the event of asurge in the coming months, the government has identifiedplaces like schools, hotels and resorts to accommodate atleast 10 lakh people. "Around 27,000 institutions, including hotels, resorts,hostels, schools, lodges, stadiums and even auditoriums havebeen identified where we can accommodate around 10 lakhpeople, including NRKs. Space has been found. Stadiums andauditoriums will be used as a last resort," he said. However, what is likely to give the government nightmaresis keeping track of everyone reaching the state when inter-state train and bus services are resumed after lockdown. "For such people coming into the state in buses and trainsonly thermal screening can be done to a certain extent. Wewill have to draw up a strategy for them," the Home Secretarysaid.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has already written toPrime Minister Narendra Modi to show 'special consideration"and arrange special flights to the Gulf for airlifting NRKsstranded there due to the lockdown.
The Centre has informed the Supreme Court and other highcourts that as of now it has no plans to carry out evacuationof Indians stranded in different countries due to lockdown
Talking about hospital capacity, Mehta said about 1.4lakh beds have been identified in government and privatehealthcare facilitates in the state. "When the number of patients multiply there are chancesthat the hospital system might collapse. Even the developedcountries lack facilities to accommodate a huge surge innumbers," Mehta said.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has also begun theprocess of physical examination of the facilities identifiedto be used as COVID care centres, he said.
Kerala has four international airports atThiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur which used tooperate at least 92 flights in a day. Once the lockdown islifted, the centre will decide on the number of flights totransport NRKs to the state. It is not only the Keralites residing abroad who arewanting to return, but also those in other states, includingMaharashtra and Tamil Nadu, which have witnessed high numberof COVID-19 cases.
"We do not have the exact figures of Keralites in otherstates as of now. We cannot stop anyone from returning totheir state", the official said. UD RRTVS VS