The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has decided to examine request of some of the countries requesting evacuation of their nationals who are stranded in different parts of the country following the nationwide lockdown measures announced by Prime Minister last month.
However, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said that it will follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for releasing quarantine persons.
The move came after the Government of India received several such requests from foreign countries for evacuation of their nationals from India.
The DDMA of the Delhi Government in a statement said that some of the protocol would be observed before taking any decision. “The chartered flight would be arranged by the concerned foreign Government in consultation with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (Government of India) and prior to departure, the foreign national would be screened for COV1D- 19 symptoms as per the standard health protocol,” it said.
“Only those foreign national would be allowed to leave who are asymptomatic for COVID- 19. In case of symptomatic person, the future course of treatment would be followed as per the standard health protocol,” it said.
The DDMA further said that the local transportation arrangements from the place of stay of the foreign national to the point of embarkation would be arranged by the local embassy or consulate of the respective foreign Government.
With a view to preventing spread of COVID- 19 and as a measure of abundant precaution, persons returning from foreign locations alter February 15 had been quarantined in government arranged facilities. In respect of these persons, the some protocol would be observed after completion of the specified mandatory quarantine period, it said in a statement.
The government will follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the process. “Person testing negatives for COVID- I 9 would be released as per standard health protocol from the said quarantine facility. However, this will not apply to a group, where even one person tests positive for COVID-19.
These persons, who will be tested negative, are expected to return to their homes or to the homes of their families, relatives and friends or to other places shelter like hotels etc by making their own transport arrangements, it said, adding that the transit pass for movement of vehicle being used by such person would be issued by the District Magistrate of the district concerned where they have been quarantined.
As part of precautionary measure, such persons would home quarantine themselves for a further period of 14 days as per standard protocol after returning to their destination, it added.
The DDMA also said that details of person released from quarantine, along with their destination, will be shared with the concerned State/UT Government for necessary follow up.