Revised SOP for returnees and travellers entering Nagaland

Dimapur, Nov. 26 (EMN): Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) under Home department has issued the revised standard operating procedure (SOP) for returnees and travellers entering Nagaland.

The revised SOP was issued in pursuance to the decision taken by the high powered committee in its meeting held on November 5, an update from the state chief secretary J Alam stated on Thursday.

A. Designated points of entry:     

1. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India directive, there should not be any restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit is required for such movements. Therefore, in line with the MHA directive, there shall not be any restriction on the entry of returnees and travellers into the state by flight, train, or road at any entry point except the normal Inner Line Permit (ILP) restrictions, wherever applicable, or any restriction, imposed for the time being, on law and order grounds by the competent authorities.

B. Installation of nCovid Nagaland visitors App and Aarogya Setu/ self declaration:

1. It is mandatory for every returnee/ inbound traveller to install and register in the nCovid Nagaland visitors App and Aarogya Setu before entering Nagaland. NB: Both the mobile apps can be downloaded from Google Play store. State Helpline 1800 345 0019 may be called for any technical assistance if required.
2. Every returnee/ inbound traveller will be required to submit “self declaration form” and for those opting for home quarantine the “Undertaking for home quarantine.”

• a. “Self declaration form” can be submitted through either one of the following:

• nCovid Nagaland visitors app for android smartphone users or
• Online at Covid19.nagaland.gov.in. or
• By WhatsApp to the respective district’s helpline number as given in Annexure 4.
• In hard copy at the office of the respective chief medical officer.
• The prescribed form of the self declaration (Annexure-1) can be downloaded from covid19.nagaland.gov.in.

• b. “Undertaking for home quarantine”- the duly filled in form can be submitted through either one of the following:

• nCovid Nagaland visitors app for android smartphone users or
• Online at covid19.nagaland.gov.in or
• By WhatsApp to the respective district’s helpline number as given in the Annexure 4.
• In hard copy at the office of the respective chief medical officer.
• The prescribed form of the undertaking for home quarantine and the guidelines/ instructions of home quarantine can be downloaded from covid19.nagaland.gov.in.

1. Every returnee/ inbound traveller is advised to complete the submission of self declaration and undertaking if opting for home quarantine in advance prior to arrival.
2. The returnee/ inbound traveller may visit covid19.nagaland.gov.in for getting updated information with regard paid quarantine facilities and their availability on various dates, DTF/ district health helpline phone numbers and their email addresses and other concerned information.

C. At the point of entry:

• Any returnee traveller if symptomatic on arrival will mandatorily report to the concerned district health authority or the district helpline number for further management.

D. Quarantine Norms:

1. Returnee/ traveller who produces a negative report of Covid-19 test done not earlier than three (3) days prior to arrival in Nagaland through RT-PCR/ TrueNat/ CBNAAT shall be exempted from quarantine (if the person has to arrive on say Thursday, the swab should have been given for testing not earlier than Monday). The returnee/ traveller should carry the soft/ hard of the negative test report and produce it whenever asked by the competent authority.
2. Every returnee or traveller without the negative test report as mentioned above and asymptomatic will undergo quarantine for 10 (ten) days.
3. The returnee/ traveller may either opt for home quarantine or paid quarantine in the designated hotel/ lodge.
4.  All persons in quarantine shall follow 3Ws (wear mask, wash hands, watch distance) and avoid 3Cs (crowded places, close contact setting and closed and enclosed spaces).
5.  All returnees/ travellers shall self-monitor their health for development of any Covid like symptoms- fever, cough, difficulty in breathing etc. and shall update the status in nCovid Nagaland visitors app twice daily. In case of development of any of the above mentioned symptoms, they are advised to contact the respective district health helpline given at Annexure: 4 or state helpline 1800 345 0019.
6. The government servants entering the state on official tours, or returning after making a tour outside or coming back after availing leave will also be covered by the same quarantining provisions as above.

E. Testing:

1. If the person in quarantine remains asymptomatic throughout the 10 days quarantine period, no testing will be required for release from quarantine.
2.  Returnees/ travellers who produce a negative report (RT-PCR/ TrueNat/ CBNAAT) of test done not earlier than three (3) days prior to arrival in Nagaland, and remains asymptomatic will not be tested.
3. Returnees/ travellers if symptomatic on arrival, will be immediately tested.
4. Any person who develops symptoms during the course of quarantine will be tested immediately.
5. Persons in quarantine, who are asymptomatic and require or need to be released from quarantine prematurely due to urgent or emergency work may contact district health authority or helpline and request for testing, and if tested negative will be released from quarantine. This test done on request will be charged at the rates fixed by the government.
6. In addition to the above, Covid-19 tests shall also be chargeable for the following categories:

• All individuals undertaking travel to countries/ Indian states mandating a negative Covid-19 test at point of entry.
• All individuals who wish to get themselves tested, subject to case load and capacity of the testing centres.
• Patient for undergoing non-Covid treatment in the hospital (eg. before surgical procedure or aerosol generating procedure etc).

1. The rate of testing will be fixed by the government which may be revised from time to time.
2. Any government servant undergoing quarantining on entry into the state will also be covered by the same testing provisions as above. Further, the government servant will also be charged for Covid-19 test at the same rates as fixed for other returnees/ travellers, and in case the travel made is for official reasons, the expenses for Covid-19 testing may be claimed for reimbursement by the government servant from his/ her office/ department.
3. Covid-19 testing strategy will be revised from time to time as per revisions issued by ICMR and/or state.

F. Release from Quarantine:

1. On completion of the 10 days quarantine period and the person remaining asymptomatic throughout the period, the person will be released from quarantine without testing. However, the standard precautionary measures- 3Ws and 3Cs should always be followed.
2. The medical team will issue a “Release Certificate” on fulfilment of above condition with a copy to the district task force.

G. Exemptions from quarantine on entry:

1. If the duration of stay of any person entering the state by air or in self arranged conveyance is less than 48 hours, no advance testing will be required, and he/ she will not be required to quarantine. The person concerned before his/ her entry should however, install and register on Aarogya Setu, and during the period of stay will follow all the health safety protocols and in case of night-halt in the state will stay in a single room accommodation with attached bathroom.
2.  The person entering the state for less than 48 hours, may apply at least 1 (one) day prior to entry in Nagaland, online at covidl9.nagaland.gov.in or through email/ WhatsApp to the DTF of the destination district with all the details. The WhatsApp numbers/ email addresses of the DTFs in Annexure 5 (also available on nCovid19.nagaland.gov.in) may be used for sending the communication. The DTF subject to fulfilment of the criteria for being considered for issue of Inner Line Permit, wherever applicable, will communicate its clearance for exemption from quarantine, through Whatsapp/ email or SMS if applied online, to the person concerned.
3.  If the duration of the stay of any person in the state is more than 48 hours, then he/ she will be exempted from quarantine on entry in the state, only if he/she has tested negative on RT-PCR/ TrueNat/ CBNAAT not earlier than three (3) days of the proposed arrival date in Nagaland (if the person has to arrive on say Thursday, the swab should have been given for testing not earlier than Monday). The person concerned, further while applying as mentioned in the para above, should attach a soft copy of the RT-PCR/ TrueNat/ CBNAAT negative test report done at his/ her current location.
4. Any government servant entering the state on an official tour and needing exemption from quarantine because of unavoidable reasons, will also be covered by similar provisions as above.
5. Any person who goes out of the state by road in self arranged conveyance and returns within 24 hours without night halt, and asymptomatic on arrival at the point of entry, will be exempted from quarantine and will carry on with his/ her normal routine following all the health safety protocols. The concerned person before commencing the journey should obtain movement permit from the concerned DTF in which the point of exit falls.
6. Any person, including the truckers and attendants of any goods vehicle, transiting the state without halting anywhere is exempted from quarantine. The truckers and attendants of any goods vehicle bound for Nagaland will also be not required to quarantine. All such categories of persons should also always follow 3Ws and avoid 3Cs. In case any trucker/ attendant has to make a night-halt in the state, they should stay in single room accommodation with attached washroom.

Implementation of the SOP:

1. This SOP will be uniformly implemented throughout the state without any deviation and will not be modified by district task force, urban local bodies, village authorities or community-based organisations.
2.  Violator(s) of this SoP will be penalized as per the relevant section of the Disaster Management Act 2005, and the Nagaland Epidemic Disease (Covid-19) Regulations 2020.

A. Instructions for the family members of persons being home quarantined:

1. Only an assigned family member should be tasked with taking care of such person.
2. Avoid shaking the soiled linen or direct contact with skin.
3. Use disposable gloves when cleaning the surfaces or handling soiled linen.
4. Wash hands after removing gloves.
5. Visitors should not be allowed.
6.  In case the person being quarantined becomes symptomatic, all his close contacts will be home quarantined (for 14 days) and followed up for an additional 14 days or till the report of such case turns out negative on lab testing.