The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Health Minister Lyonpo Dechen Wangmo clarified that those being released from quarantine have been tested and they are only released on testing negative. She said that a person in quarantine first finishes the 21-day quarantine and is then tested on the 22nd day and then once the test comes negative a certificate is issued.
She said the certificate is to avoid doubt and apprehensions. Giving an example said that a person may fly in by air and be quarantined in Thimphu. Once the person reaches Punakha after the quarantine period the locals there may get surprised and say the person had been out of station.
She said the certificate says that the person spent 21 days in quarantine and tested negative for the virus.
Lyonpo said that be it in the media or social media the ministry has been advocating on not having apprehensions against people finishing the quarantine period and to also not discriminate against them.
An important point made by MoH is that the people in home or self quarantine are not there because they have the virus but to only eliminate any remote possibility of it.
Lyonpo said that while saying this she also wanted to convey her gratitude to the local government heads in the villages for keeping a note of new people coming to their area, finding out where they came from and informing the ministry.
She said the social system that way is very good and it has been very helpful.
In an interview to the paper the health minister said that the local governments had kept the MoH informed of new people coming in and as a result some of the quarantine cases in the Dzongkhags came from this.
