With Odisha witnessing a second wave of Covid-19, the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) on Thursday (April 8) released new guidelines focusing on mandatory RT-PCR testing of people coming from other states along with a slew of other measures to curb the spread of the virus in the state.
The notification stated that people coming to Odisha by any public transport like train, bus, airplanes, or water ways etc. or by any private vehicles have to produce RT-PCR negative report obtained within 72 hours of entry /final vaccination certificate (after two doses of vaccination). People coming without such report will have to undergo 7 days mandatory Home/Institutional quarantine.
The state government has suspended all public transport from Odisha to Chhattisgarh and vice versa from April 10th till April 30. SRC’s notification requested the transport department to set up Border Check Points (BCPs) at strategic locations. People coming through the check points shall have to produce Final Vaccination certificate/ RT-PCR negative report obtained within 72 hours prior to their entry to Odisha or else they will be put in Home/ Institutional quarantine for 7 days.
Moreover, the incoming persons shall have to give an undertaking to this effect and submit a filled in form containing all relevant personal details.
The government has further directed all Industries/ Educational Institutions/ Commercial Establishments to ensure implementation of all COVID appropriate behaviour/ protocols and to set up their own isolation facilities that is, Covid Care Centres (CCCs)/ Covid Care Homes (CCHs) for Covid positive persons found in their establishments with their own expenses.
In view of the situation deteriorating across the state, the Collectors of 16 districts namely, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nawrangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore have been asked to set up Temporary Medical Centres (TMCs) to provide quarantine facilities to people coming from other states.