Expatriates from Kerala settled in various countries, especially the Gulf, should mandatorily carry a COVID-19 negative certificate if they want to return home once the Centre gives its nod for bringing them back, the State government has said.
Keen to avoid fresh overseas cases after successfully containing the disease spread in the State, the government has issued an order stating that expatriates who possess certificates showing that they tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) can register with the NoRKA (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) Department.
“We will allow only those people who carry the COVID-19-negative certificate (to travel to the State). Only after this can they register with NoRKA,” Home Secretary Vishwas Mehta told PTI.
After the Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs) register themselves, the government would draw up a list on how to bring them back as per priority, he said.
The order, issued on Tuesday, specifically mentions that the registration is for arranging quarantine facilities in the State for the NoRKs, if necessary, and not for getting any priority in flight bookings. As per the guidelines prepared by State government for the return of NoRKs, they will have to get themselves tested from the country where they are before emplaning for Kerala and should also be having COVID-19 negative certificates.
Dr. Mehta, who is also the Additional Chief Secretary, said the government had drawn up a strategy to accommodate up to 10 lakh symptomatic people, including the NoRKs, for the purpose of quarantine if there was a huge surge.
According to official estimates, there are least 33 lakh NoRKs who are residing in various countries, including 22 lakh in the Gulf region, and the government is expecting around three to 5.5 lakh of them to come back.
