Institutional quarantine is becoming a sticking point between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and some incoming air travellers. One such complaint by a sports scientist and high-performance coach surfaced on Friday on Twitter and became a talking point.
Shayamal Vallabhjee, who arrived from South Africa, expressed his frustration when he was moved to a quarantine centre at Byculla instead of being placed in hotel quarantine. “Arrived at Mumbai Airport and was escorted to this quarantine facility for inter(national) arrivals. 4 x N- Covid Tests in 24 Hrs, 60K Hotel Reservation for Quarantine + my home is here. Told to come wait here for an hour. 5 hours later I’m told I can’t leave for 8 days,” he tweeted posting photographs of the Covid centre.
When The Free Press Journal contacted P. Velrasu, the Additional Municipal Commissioner for his response, the IAS officer said the civic body was only following the Covid protocol guidelines put in place by the government in view of the Omicron threat.
"There are clear guidelines of the government. If travellers arrive from three high risk countries, then they will have to go through institutional quarantine. What is the problem with this guy? Guidelines were issued well in advance. If he doesn't want to go through institutional quarantine, then why did he come to Mumbai?"
After World Health Organisation flagged the Omicron variant as a “variant of concern”, the Centre and the state government had put in place strict guidelines for screening of international arrivals especially from “at risk” countries. Maharashtra had made seven-day institutional quarantine mandatory for international arrivals from three high risk countries including South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
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