Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has dismissed the allegation that the government is unwilling to admit people returning to Kerala from epidemic hotspots within the country and outside.
His response at his daily COVID-19 news conference on Wednesday appeared to be a counter to Union Minister of State of External Affairs V. Muraleedharan who had reportedly suggested so in an interaction with the media.
Mr. Vijayan said arrivals had caused the COVID-19 caseload to increase markedly. However, the government had successfully kept the threat of community transmission at bay.
Kerala would continue to receive arrivals who informed their return in advance through the NoRKA website.
Health workers would examine them for flu symptoms on arrival. The police would transport them to institutional quarantine centres for the mandatory period of isolation. Doctors would test them there for COVID-19. Those who test positive would be treated, and others allowed to go home to complete their 14-day isolation period in private.
From May 20 to June 2, 25,821 persons have returned to Kerala via air and sea. The government had permitted Vande Bharath Mission flights to land. However, the Centre has scheduled only 36 flights, though they had asked the State to anticipate 324.
The government has given Spice Jet permission to operate 300 flights over one month. They would run a minimum of 10 trips a day. The airliner announced that it would only admit COVID-19 negative patients on board.
A Gulf-based organisation has sought permission to operate 40 chartered flights to Kerala. The government had asked them to charge only the airfare fixed by the Central government. Flight operators should give priority to those who had lost their job abroad, pregnant women, aged citizens and children.
