SHILLONG, Jan 10: The Health and Family Welfare department in consultation with the State Medical Expert Committee (MEC), the State COVID Task Force, and State COVID Response Team has unveiled fresh standard operating procedures (SOPs) on COVID-19 amid concern over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
According to the new SOPs, testing at entry points will be continued even for those who have been fully vaccinated for a limited period of time during the surge of cases and until further orders. All persons entering the state, including those fully vaccinated, have to produce a negative RT-PCR report or undergo a mandatory RT-PCR test at the entry points, it added The department further said that entrants producing a negative RT-PCR report should have been tested at a recognised laboratory within 72 hours of their arrival at the entry point.
“Children below the age of 15 years shall be exempted from testing at entry points, if asymptomatic. It is mandatory for those being tested at the COVID Screening Centres to isolate themselves at their home or place of stay till the receipt of the test reports,” the SOPs state.
The protocols state that COVID-positive patients need to undergo isolation for seven days including the day they are tested positive, even as it added that for at least three consecutive days before the discharge, the patient should not experience any fever or other symptoms.
“All positive cases (persons) must self-monitor their health during the isolation period and reach out for immediate medical help if they experience severe symptoms such as breathlessness. The unvaccinated persons, who are more vulnerable, under quarantine or isolation need to seek medical help immediately if no improvement is seen after five days,” the new protocols state.
All asymptomatic patients and high-risk contacts are to go under quarantine or isolate for five days and continue to wear a mask around others for five additional days.
It added, “Those who complete their quarantine or isolation may not need any discharge certificate if the isolation was at home. They shall be deemed to be discharged on completion of such isolation period. However, if any of them want a discharge certificate, they may contact the nearest Public Health facility for the same.”
With regard to the role of government and private hospitals, the SOPs state that COVID testing should be done only if the patient is symptomatic. “Asymptomatic patients are to be exempted from COVID testing unless it is recommended by the treating doctors. This is to facilitate better health seeking behaviour for all other medical conditions besides COVID. Children below the age of 15 years should be exempted from testing, if asymptomatic, it said, while adding that elderly and co-morbid persons are to be given special attention if symptomatic and tested positive.
Moreover, the department has also urged eligible persons to take the jab of COVID-19 vaccine.