COVID-19 Surge: Nagaland Govt issues consolidated guidelines

Summer vacations declared for all schools and colleges

DIMAPUR, APRIL 30 (MExN): The Nagaland State Government has issued a new set of consolidated guidelines in view of the worsening COVID-19 pandemic.

The new guidelines listed which activities are permitted or prohibited and the rules for operation of businesses and offices.

On top of the list, the Nagaland Government has notified all schools and colleges, both government and private, to declare summer vacations with effect from April 30 until further notice. All hostels accommodating school students shall also be closed during the period of summer vacation, informed a notification from the Directorate of School Education.
The guidelines will be in effect from April 30 till May 13.

What’s closed
• All schools and colleges to declare summer breaks immediately till further notice.
• All coaching/vocational institutions/student hostels etc closed.
• Online/distance learning to be encouraged.
• Cinema halls, swimming pools, gymnasiums, entertainment parks, auditoriums, theatres, assembly halls, sports complexes and stadiums and similar places.
• Public places like parks, museums, libraries, re-creation centers etc.

What’s open
• Shopping Malls outside containment zones.
• Shops and hawker stalls located in marketing complexes and crowded areas like Hongkong Market, New Market in Dimapur Town, BOC Market in Kohima etc with only up to 30% of shops open at a time.
• Respective DTFs to take call after assessing location and layout; may open in turns on any particular day.
• Measures to be in place to ensure that crowding is avoided, and all social distancing norms and health safety protocols are strictly followed.
• Hotels and lodges.
• Restaurants outside containment zones.
• Barber shops and salons.
• Private Banks, ATMs, Pharmacies, Medical Clinics, Nursing Homes, Private Telecom Services, Internet Service Providers, Media Houses, LPG, Petroleum outlets.
• All other kind of private offices/establishments may function subject to 50% attendance on any day.
• All other activities not explicitly barred in this order or any other order issued by the Government will continue to be permitted.

Restrictions on public gatherings
• Social, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large congregations are permitted outside containment zones, but with no more than 30% of the venue’s capacity or 100 persons, whichever is lower.
• Religious places, place of worship are permitted to open outside containment zones subject to a maximum of 30% of the capacity of the hall/building at any point of time or 100 persons, whichever is lower.
• These are all subject to COVID-19 appropriate behaviors like wearing masks, social distancing, regular washing of hands by hand sanitizer/soap and water etc.
• District Task Forces (DTFs) empowered to take suitable decisions as per local situations.

Movement of persons & vehicles
• Movement of people within the State will be permitted subject to adherence to COVID 19 behaviour.
• Intra and inter district movement of private and passenger vehicles is permitted subject to occupancy being limited to 50% of the total occupancy. Further, no standing passengers should be allowed to travel and there should also be adherence to all the SOPs.
• Movement of goods vehicles is allowed through specified routes after proper medical screening of drivers and attendants. All other roads/routes will remain closed.
• The international border with Myanmar will remain sealed.
• The District Task Forces have been empowered to impose restrictions on non essential movement of public, and/or not allowing movement during certain hours of the day, or on certain days.

Offices
• Civil Secretariat, Directorates and all the Government offices to function with attendance of officers of Deputy Secretary and above in the Secretariat; Deputy Director and above in the Directorate; and the Head of Office and immediate junior in the District offices.
• In other categories of officers and staff, a roster system shall be worked out by the AHOD/HOD/Head of Office concerned whereby 50% staff attend office every alternate week. Entry of public visitors to offices, unless of essential nature, will be prohibited.
• District Administration, Police, Security Forces/Agencies and Medical and essential Service Providers like Treasury, Fire & Emergency Services, Home Guards & Civil Defence, Prisons, PHED, Power, NIC, DIPR, Postal Services, Food & Civil Supplies, Social Welfare, IT&C, Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, Municipalities/Councils, AIR, Doordarshan, BSNL, Public Sector Banks, ATMs shall continue to operate as per current arrangements.

Containment Zones
• Containment Zones to be notified by the respective DCs.
• Only essential services to be allowed in containment zones.
• Intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance and other clinical interventions to be employed.

Other guidelines
• Wearing of face cover compulsory in public places; in workplaces; and during transport.
• Individuals must maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet.
• Spitting in public places punishable with fine.
• Work from home as far as possible
• Staggering of work/ business hours to be followed
• Provision for thermal scanning, hand wash or sanitizer at all entry points.
• Frequent sanitization of entire workplace, common facilities and all points which come into human contact.
• All permitted activities are subject to strict adherence to COVID SOPs.
• Rs 200 fine on persons not wearing mask in public places, work places, and during transport.

Revised SOPs for people entering Nagaland

• All returnees and travelers entering Nagaland to undergo COVID-19 screening test at Dimapur Airport; Dimapur Railway Station; Dimapur – New Field Check Gate and Dillai Gate, Kohima – Khuzama; Mokokchung – Tsutapela and Watiyongpang; Mon – Naginimora and Tizit; Wokha – Bhandari; Phek -Lanye Junction and Akash Bridge.
• Such persons are required to produce a negative COVID-19 test report or COVID-19 Vaccination Completion Certificate (VCC) (both the doses should have been taken) at the point of entry. Negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) Report irrespective of time of testing or vaccination of 1 dose only shall not be accepted.
• Negative COVID-19 test report by RT-PCR/ Truenat/ CBNAAT, done at ICMR approved labs and hospitals and not earlier than 72 hours prior to entry into the State in soft or hard copy or SMS generated from ICMR portal showing SRF ID and the test result.
• COVID-19 vaccination completion certificate should be in soft or hard copy or SMS from AX-NHPSMS showing successful administration of 2nd dose.
• They are required to furnish an undertaking/declaration which can be downloaded from covid19.nagaland.gov.in.
• Required to undergo either paid or home quarantine for a mandatory 7 days period. Any asymptomatic person who need to be released from quarantine prematurely due to emergency may contact District Task Force (DTF) for testing on the day of arrival or later, on payment. If tested negative, they will be released from quarantine.
• Residents of Nagaland who arrive without negative test report or VCC to mandatorily undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at the PoE on payment.
• If RAT test is positive, traveler will undergo home isolation or get admitted in private hospital or government health institution depending upon medical condition.
• If RAT test is negative, traveler will have to undergo RT-PCR/ Truenat/CBNAAT COVID-19 test on payment.
• After swab sample collection, traveler will be allowed to leave the PoE premises subject to mandatory quarantine.
• If RT-PCR/ Truenat/ CBNAAT test is positive, traveler will undergo home isolation or get admitted in hospital depending on medical condition.
• If RT-PCR/ Truenat/ CBNAAT test is negative, traveler will continue self isolation till completion of the mandatory quarantine of 7 days.
• In case of a resident of any North East State other than Nagaland, who is arriving in Nagaland by road/ air/ train, and is a transit passenger and directly travelling onwards to any other NE State; the person concerned should have a negative COVID-19 test result through RT-PCR/TrueNat/CBNAAT, or COVID-19 VCC, and should satisfy the requirements of the SOP of the final destination State, failing which, the person concerned will not be allowed to enter Nagaland.
• Person concerned should be asymptomatic and must produce ticket for onward journey or proof of self arranged vehicle; proof of address in the other State; and observe COVID-19 SOPs.
• Inability to fulfill these requirements will lead to mandatory quarantine in a paid facility.
• All symptomatic travelers or returnees will be immediately tested on payment basis.
• No exemptions from requirement of having negative test report/ COVID-19 VCC or from quarantining/self isolation.
• Home Department to provide facilitation of testing for dignitaries and senior government officials entering State.
• Military/ Para Military to make arrangements for their personnel.
• Village Councils, Urban Local Bodies under the supervision of DTF to identify any inter-state traveller arriving in their jurisdictions
• To inform such persons to immediately report to the DTF and to remain in self isolation
• Monitor any breach of quarantine norms or COVID-19 appropriate behaviours.
• SOPs to be uniformly implemented throughout the State without any deviation and will not be diluted by District Task Force, Urban Local Bodies, village authorities or community based organizations.
• Persons violating the instructions are liable to be prosecuted.