BHUBANESWAR: With a spike in Covid-19 cases in Odisha following return of migrant workers, the State Government has revised its quarantine protocol for the third time in the last two months. Even as the quarantine period for returnees to the State has been limited to 14 days as per the modified guideline, there is still no clarity whether people moving from one district to another are required to remain in quarantine.
While the State had introduced 14-day quarantine in March, it was revised to 28-day (21-day institutional and seven-day home) in early May when the Centre advised the States to adopt 21-day protocol. The State Government had then preferred the tough quarantine protocol to contain the spread of the infection. Why was it modified again despite the spurt in cases? There is no clarity.
“Though intra-State movement of buses has been allowed, the new guideline has no mention whether people travelling from red zone districts to green or orange zones are exempted from quarantine. Villagers in rural areas are not allowing people to enter in the absence of clear instruction,” said Bibekananda Das, a social worker. As per the new guideline issued by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy returnees in rural areas will undergo seven days of mandatory institutional quarantine, after which asymptomatic returnees will be discharged to undergo home quarantine for seven more days.
If the local authorities find it necessary for reasons related to containment of Covid-19 and prevent spread of infection, they may extend the period of institutional quarantine of the returnees. In case people develop symptoms in institutional quarantine and require medical attention, they will be shifted to Covid Care Centre or Covid Hospital depending on the condition of patients. The guideline for quarantine in urban areas has also been modified and every person on return from outside Odisha will have to compulsorily stay in home quarantine for 14 days. If the returnee does not have proper quarantine facility at home, he/she will undergo institutional/paid quarantine for a duration as directed by the local authorities.
However, Government officials, professionals, businessmen or any other person travelling to Odisha on work and intending to leave the State within 72 hours, people who travel to other states and return within 72 hours and returnees, who have already undergone prescribed quarantine in the area from where he/she is coming, are exempted from mandatory quarantine. The State Government expressed displeasure after it learnt that 12 Shramik Special trains have left Telangana for Odisha without prior information.
Stating that uninformed arrivals may create problems in Covid management, Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena warned that the State Government will not pay for their train tickets if people return without prior intimation. “Different Odia organisations in other State have been appealed to extend all cooperation in this regard,” he added.