Odisha govt issues SOP for UK returnees

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has made 14-day home quarantine mandatory for persons with travel history of the United Kingdom (UK) upon arrival at the airports of the state.

Passengers with travel history of UK and transiting through the airports in the UK and returning to Odisha will be advised to remain in mandatory 14 days home quarantine with self-monitoring and periodic monitoring by the Rapid Response Team, said the health department.

The state government took the decision as the mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus has been spreading fast in the UK.

The state government has directed the authorities to enforce the SOP issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in view of the mutated variant of coronavirus detected in the UK.

The passengers will be required to fill up the Self Declaration Form upon arrival at the two airports of the state, said Additional Chief Secretary (Health) PK Mohapatra in a letter.

The letter has been written to the district collectors, CDMOs, Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda airports and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

It asked the authorities to mandatorily screen the persons with travel history of the UK and take necessary follow up action to prevent the spread of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the state.

“If any such person is found symptomatic within the quarantine period, RT-PCR test will be conducted. If he/she is tested positive, he/she will be isolated in an institutional isolation facility and advised for treatment as per the protocol,” the letter read.

Even if a person with travel history of the UK is tested negative, he/she will be advised to complete the 14 days home quarantine period, said Mohapatra.