The Karnataka government on Tuesday issued an advisory restricting the entry of students, employees, and others into the state from Kerala till the end of October amid fears of the outbreak of a possible third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is in order to avoid the third wave of Covid-19 in Karnataka in the larger interest of public health,” said an advisory issued by the government on Tuesday.

The health department has requested the authorities and other private players to see to it that people postpone their travel plans till the end of October.

Jawaid Akthar, Additional Chief Secretary in Health and Family Welfare Department, stated that all administrators and principals of educational, nursing, paramedical institutions have been advised to instruct their wards to defer their return till the end of October. Further, they should direct their students and other staff not to travel to Kerala from Karnataka for the same period.

“In view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in Kerala, special measures are already in place for arrivals from Kerala. Further, it has been observed that students and employees arriving at Karnataka from Kerala though bringing Negative RT-PCR reports are testing Covid 19 Positive during repeat test and the number of such cases is considerably high in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. In this regard instructions have been issued from time to time for arrivals from Kerala for control and prevention of COVID-19 in Karnataka,” the order reads.

Similar guidelines have also been issued to all the administrators, owners of hospitals, nursing homes, offices, hotels, factories, and industries. People have been advised to defer their plans to visit Kerala till the end of October.

The decision has been taken in view of the prevailing Covid situation in Kerala. It has been observed that students and employees arriving in Karnataka from Kerala with negative RT-PCR reports are testing Covid positive during a repeat test, Akthar said.

According to the advisory, despite special measures like seeking negative RT-PCR reports and repeat testing for COVID-19 amongst those returning from Kerala, a considerably high number of cases is being reported, especially in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.