Odisha Fights COVID-19: BMC Issues SOP For Smooth Monitoring Of Home Quarantine

Bhubaneswar: With a large number of migrants returning to several parts of Odisha, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday issued a set of standard operating procedure (SOP) for smooth monitoring of home quarantine.

As per the SOP which aims at community participation to fight COVID-19 in long term, people willing to stay in home quarantine after their return from other places have to strictly adhere to the quarantine guidelines. Along with them, their entire family have to be in quarantine for the specified period.

The home quarantined people will be kept under the close watch of neighbours, surveillance teams, enforcement squads and police. If the families violate the quarantine norms, a red notice will be issued against them by the zonal deputy commissioner. In case of further violation of rules, they will be shifted to government quarantine facility and FIR will be registered against them, the BMC stated in the SOP.

The list of quarantined citizens will be shared with the respective police stations by the zonal deputy commissioners and the IIC concerned will check the quarantined house at regular intervals.

The concerned Zonal Deputy Commissioner will ensure pasting of the quarantine sticker in front of the houses of the people opting for home quarantine. The pasting team should request the neighbours to help the family by supplying essentials and medicines and also advise them to keep a watch on the family whether they are adhering to the quarantine norms or not.

In case the neighbours found the quarantined families violating the conditions, they should immediately call 100 or 1929 to inform about the violation. They can also inform the local ward officer/ZDC/local Police about the same.

The surveillance team will remain in touch with each quarantined family daily to ascertain symptoms developed, if any. In case the quarantined family is having difficulty in getting supply of the essentials even after the intervention of the neighbours, the surveillance team will facilitate supply of the same from the neighbourhood vendors.

The quarantined family should be informed about the available facility for e-ordering of supply of essentials and medicines through online methods. They should also be informed about available facility for home delivery of foods, the SOP said.

If any member of the quarantined family falls sick, they should not approach any health centre/hospital directly. They will have to dial 104 and appropriate respond will be ensured, the SOP read.

In special cases like serious health issues/demise etc of any close relative where presence of the quarantined family or any member is necessary, they should inform the concerned Zonal Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, BMC for special permission. If found genuine, movement in such cases will be coordinated as per government protocol, the SOP added.