North collector revises SOP for travellers using roadways

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Making thermal screening, Covid testing and self declaration forms essential, the north district collector revised the standard operating procedure (SOP) for all travellers entering the state border using roadways.

According to the SOP, every traveller should make available details of their medical conditions by filling up of a self-declaration form online at Goa online portal and submit the printed copy to the authority after reaching at the check post.

The check post will have one paramedic staff, executive magistrate, and a data entry operator round the clock.

In the self declaration form every traveller in case of asymptomatic has to select any of the three options which include providing a Covid negative certificate from a laboratory approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), to avoid being tested in the state or pay Rs 2,000 and get a test done, or be sent to home quarantine with an option of paid quarantine.

It added that no person will be allowed to enter the state border without having hard copy of self declaration form.

The paramedic staff will do thermal screening of incoming travellers and if found symptomatic, refer the person for mandatory testing and after collection of swab the person will be either send to institutional quarantine or his/her own residence for self isolation till the results of the test.

Those asymptomatic person who opted for Covid test will also be escorted by police to Asilo hospital and after the test, person will be allowed to go to their residence with instructions to self isolate themselves till the test results are out.

In an order signed by north district collector R Menaka says those travellers found symptomatic will be escorted by police to Asilo hospital at Mapusa for mandatory Covid test and after giving the swabs the person will be sent to institutional quarantine assigned by the authority or to the residence.

The symptomatic person and also asymptomatic who has opted for Covid test will be escorted to Asilo hospital for swab collection and after giving swab they will be instructed to undergo self isolation till the results are out and also inform the health officials.

It says two hourly reports will be mailed to IDSP cell of health department to convey the names, contact number and address of home quarantined people so as to activate the health officials.

Also 12 hourly reports will be submitted to district collector, superintendent of police, panchayat department, municipal administration and IDSP cell of health services via email giving the details of person who have crossed the border.