Imphal: Manipur Health department on Wednesday issued fresh Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in Manipur amid Omicron scare.
The fresh SOP started effective from today (December 1), said Health director Dr K Rajo while urging the people to ensure following the COVID-19 appropriate behavior at a press conference in Imphal today.
The Health director said that the fresh travel advisory for international passengers issued by the Union ministry of Health and Family Welfare on November 29 related to the new COVID-19 variant Omicron came into effect in the state, too.
As per the guidelines, he said that all travelers should submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel, including last 24 days travel details.
They should upload a negative COVID-19 RT PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey, he said.
The Health director added that each passenger should also submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise.
Dr Rajo added that all travelers should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Union ministry of civil aviation, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to under home or institutional quarantine/self-health monitoring, as warranted.
Continuing with the earlier approach, travelers from certain specific countries (based on the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in those countries) are identified as follow up.
The listing of such specified countries is a dynamic exercise based on evolving situation of COVID-19 across the world and will be made available on the websites of Union ministry of health and family welfare and the link of the same will be available at website of Union ministry of external affairs and Air Suvidha Portal, he said.
For the state, related preventive measures have been taken up, the Health director said and added that those travelers coming to the state with negative results should be in home quarantine for seven days.
On the eighth day, he or she should be subjected to RT PCR test and it will be followed by quarantine for another seven days, he said.
The director said that the state health department has taken up all preventive measures related with the Omicron variant in the state too.
He said that beds for COVID-19 patients in district hospitals across the state have been increased and 17 more ambulances will be put in service besides the existing 42.
The state Health department has taken up steps to make available RT PCR testing facilities in all the district hospitals.
At the same time, he appealed to the people not to panic while informing that no case of Omicron, the new variant of concern, is detected so far in the state.
Dr Rajo added that only the strict adherence of the SOP and Covid appropriate behavior can protect the people from the new variants of the COVID-19.
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