The State is valiantly fighting a community spread – it has no qualms in admitting that we have reached that stage – of COVID-19 and leaves no stone unturned to return to the near-zero levels it had reached – winning international praise – before stranded Indians across the world, but mainly expatriates from the Gulf region, began trooping back to the verdant land they held close to their heart as they toiled in the desert heat.

No more can we witness excited relatives coming to pick up the NRI from airport; a COVID special airport taxi ferries the passenger home. The airport formalities are systematic and quick in Kerala. Instructions were given on the 14-day home quarantine, which brother now spends on the first floor of the house in isolation. The rest of the family has gone into quarantine too, with a COVID alert notice promptly pasted on the gate by the local government staff.

Save for getting his first name wrong, the rest of the protocols are perfect. Courteous cops from the nearest police station enquire on him daily either over the phone or in person – keeping tab on international arrivals has become necessary as some citizens like to play truant and explore the world outside. It also shows the new face of Kerala Police – friendly and approachable, or jana maitree, as they have rebranded themselves. They don’t mind if they look a bit silly dancing to Nanchamma’s “Kalakkatha sandana meram” if it can get the message of handwashing and hygiene across to the State’s people. Some day we will thank coronavirus for improving our sense of hygiene and for bringing certain English words – quarantine, pandemic, lockdown, clusters etc – into local parlance.

Books have been sent from the local library for the quarantined visitor. Ayurvedic pills to boost immunity also arrive. In this case, district administration Pathanamthitta is effectively micro-managing the physical and mental health of each person under observation.

After a week in quarantine, he gets a nasal swab done at the nearest hospital beating serpentine queues. Anyone who has come in contact with a COVID-positive person has to take the test apart from international arrivals like him.

Another friend who drove down to Kochi from Chennai is also going through a 14-day quarantine to be followed by 14 days under observation. He too gets regular calls and visits from the police and health department staff including the mental health counsellor, who even asks how they are managing and how they get provisions. Police have been known to fetch provisions for the elderly and the invalid.

Apparently, the police are able to concentrate their energies on the COVID fight because accidents and crime have come down during the pandemic. The former because there are fewer vehicles on the roads due to lockdown and containment zones; intense patrolling and virus transmission fears have probably led to a decline in petty thefts while murders, suicides and unnatural deaths have also gone down, according to police officers.

Containment zones, clusters and triple lockdowns have been clamped to bring down Kerala’s COVID cases that have been surging since the beginning of repatriation flights and resumption of inter-State movement. A brave administration and its frontline warriors continue to micro-manage the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and prove why Kerala’s health standards are on a par with that of developed nations.

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An Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people on board under the Vande Bharat Mission overshot the tabletop runway at Karipur airport in Kozhikode on Friday night. The accident happened while landing at the airport due to heavy rains. The plane fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into two portions, killing 18 passengers including 2 pilots.

US envoy Ken Juster has expressed his grief saying they are deeply saddened to hear the news of the accident. “On behalf of the U.S. Mission, we are deeply saddened by the news of the Air India accident in Kozhikode. The victims and their loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers,” tweeted the US Envoy

Expressing condolences to victims, Satoshi Suzuki, Japan’s ambassador to India, hoped that search and rescue operation would conclude soon. “My heart bleeds for the air accident of #AirIndiaExpress in Kozhikode and landslide in #Idukki. My thoughts are with those who lost their beloved ones and are injured. I hope search & rescue will conclude as quickly as possible,” he said.

While, Australian envoy Barry O’Farrell said his thoughts and prayers are with families of the victims. “Deeply saddened by the news of the Air India Express Plane accident in #Kozhikode. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. @airindiain #KozhikodePlaneCrash,” O’Farrell tweeted

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Consul-General of India in Dubai Dr Aman Puri has confirmed that India and the UAE are moving towards an air bubble concept. The agreement enables a sharing of flights between the countries to repatriate Indian citizens, and stranded expatriates can return to the UAE on the return leg of the Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) flights.

Dr Puri said that between August 1 and 15, 164 Air India and Air India Express flights will operate from India to the UAE on the return leg of VBM. He added that the consulate has issued 57 NOCs to Emirates for flights operating from July 29 to August 15; several NOCs were issued to other UAE carriers too.

Dr Puri said that regulations set by the UAE authorities have to be followed by anyone who wishes to travel back from India to the UAE.

The Consul General said passengers can book tickets online through the websites of the UAE carriers chartering repatriation flights or through travel agents. He clarified that there is no need for community organisations or companies to charter these flights any more.

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