Following the recommendations of a State Level Expert Team on Covid-19 Management, the Mizoram government has issued guidelines for international travellers entering the state in the wake of the Omicron strain of the Covid-19, which has spread to more than three dozen countries, including India.
According to the guidelines issued on Monday, any person entering Mizoram with international travel history within the last 14 days prior to the date of arrival at the entry point will have to, besides fulfilling the formalities prescribed by the state home department, undergo mandatory screening with Rapid Antigen Test.
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Simultaneously, samples for RT-PCR or TrueNat tests will also be taken from such travellers regardless of negative RT-PCR test results prior to entry and vaccination status, it said.
However, these rules shall not apply to international travellers who, having been tested Covid-l9 positive at any international entry point in India, and have already been treated and discharged as per guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and arrive at the entry point of Mizoram before visiting any foreign country, it said.
Such travellers will have to produce a genuine discharge certificate issued by the facility from where they were discharged.
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If the international travellers screened with Rapid Antigen Test are tested negative without COVID 19 symptoms, they shall be quarantined at designated quarantined facilities or at home for 7 days with prior approval from the Deputy Commissioner within whose jurisdiction such persons are to be quarantined.
RT-PCR Test will be conducted on the 8th day.
Such individuals if tested negative with RT-PCR on the 8th day will be freed from quarantine but they shall continue self-monitoring for another 7 days, the guidelines said.
If international travellers screened with Rapid Antigen Test are found negative but develop symptoms of COVID-19, they will be immediately tested with RT-PCR or TrueNat facilities.
If they still tested negative with RT-PCR or TrueNat facilities, they will be nevertheless isolated at designated facilities or homes for 7 days with strict self-monitoring, it said.
RT-PCR or TrueNat test will be conducted again on the 8th day and if tested negative on the 8th day, they will be freed from isolation but shall have to continue with self-monitoring for another seven days, it said.
The guidelines said that if international travellers are found positive for COVID-19 through Rapid Antigen Test on their arrival or during isolation, they will be isolated or treated at facilities for international travellers and their swab samples will be sent for genomic testing.
Contact Tracing: Contacts of the positive/suspect case in case of flight passengers are the co-passengers seated in the same row, 3 rows in front and 3 rows behind along with the identified cabin crew.
All the community contacts of those travellers who have tested positive (during home quarantine period) would be subjected to quarantine for 14 days and tested as per extant testing protocol, the guidelines said.
During isolation or self-monitoring, a person should strictly follow COVID-19 Appropriate Behavior (CAB) and inform health officials or concerned chief medical officer in case he developed symptoms of COVID-19.
The State Surveillance officer, IDSP will monitor the airsuvidha portal regularly and brief the secretary and principal director of the health department, screening teams and contact tracing teams concerned daily regarding any international traveller due to enter Mizoram, according to the guidelines
The said information shall also be communicated by the IDSP unit to the Deputy Commissioner, CMO and Local Level Task Force or Village Level Task Force within whose areas the international traveller ordinarily resides or would stay during the visit, it said.