The Technical Advisory Group of the Ministry of Health is studying whether to increase the quarantine period for COVID-19 or not. Bhutan is currently following the globally practised quarantine period of 14 days.
The doubts with regard to the two-week quarantine period for the COVID-19 arose after the 59-year-old partner of the first coronavirus patient tested positive only on the last day of her quarantine, which is nearly a month after exposure to the COVID-19 patient, and that too after three routine tests.
Since then, social media has been filled with various petitions, polls and requests from netizens demanding to increase the duration of quarantine period from 2 weeks to three weeks or longer.
Responding to the matter, the health minister informed that the Technical Advisory Group of the Health Ministry consisting of experienced epidemiologists are closely studying the matter and a decision will be made within this week.
“Technical Advisory Group of the Health Ministry is currently studying whether to increase the quarantine period or not. They are also discussing the advantages and disadvantages associated with the current practice of incubation period. Moreover, the group has also discussed on the expenditures that will be incurred if the quarantine period is to be increased. We will update you on the decision in the next three to four days,” said Dechen Wangmo, the Health Minister.
Currently, over 2700 people are in various quarantine facilities and home-quarantine.
Passang Dorji
