NEW DELHI: A day after announcing a temporary ban on flights from the UK, where a new variant of coronavirus is creating havoc, the Centre on Tuesday issued a detailed guideline to states to identify and isolate Covid-19 patients who may have arrived from the island nation.
The ban on flights from the UK comes into effect from December 23 and will continue till December 31, as per the current orders.
In a 5-page standard operating procedure issued in the wee hours on Tuesday, the Union ministry of health and family welfare said that those arriving in India from the UK on Monday-Tuesday will be mandatorily subjected to RT-PCR tests and those testing positive will be quarantined institutionally.
In addition, samples collected from the positive people will also be subjected to spike gene-based RT-PCR tests in appropriate laboratories to assess whether they carry the same variant of SARS CoV 2, as identified in the UK to be about 70% more infectious.
In case the report of the sequencing is consistent with the current SARS-CoV-2 virus genome circulating in the country; the ongoing treatment protocol including home isolation or treatment at facility level as per case severity may be followed, say the fresh instructions.
But if the genomic sequencing indicates the presence of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 then the patient will continue to remain in a separate isolation unit.
While necessary treatment as per the existing protocol will be given, the patient will be tested on 14th day, after having tested positive in the initial test. In case the sample is found positive on the 14th day, further samples may be taken until the two consecutive samples taken 24 hours apart are tested negative.
The Centre through the Bureau of Immigration has also provided a list of international travelers from the UK and those who have arrived in India via the UK since November 25 and a detailed set of guidelines have been issued on following up with them.
Those international travelers from the UK who arrived in India from November 25-December 8 will be contacted by district surveillance officers and advised to self-monitor their health.
If anyone amongst them develops symptoms, they will be tested by RT-PCR test and if tested positive, genetic sequencing will be done, says the SOP.
Details of those who arrived between December 9-23, on the other hand, will be shared with respective state and district surveillance officers for daily follow-up till 14 days after their arrival in India.
“If any passenger is not traceable initially or during any duration while being followed up should be immediately notified to the central surveillance unit of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme by the district surveillance officer,” the SOP says.
The SOP says that the new variant is estimated by European Center for Disease Control to be more transmissible and affecting the younger population. This variant is defined by a set of 17 changes or mutations. "One of the most significant is an N501Y mutation in the spike protein that the virus uses to bind to the human ACE2 receptor. Changes in this part of the spike protein may result in the virus becoming more infectious and spreading more easily between people," it says.