Odisha COVID-19 Norms: Local Authorities Told To Strictly Follow Containment Measures

Bhubaneswar: In its COVID-19 guidelines for April, the state government has directed the local authorities including district collectors and municipal commissioners to strictly follow all containment measures following detection of new positive cases and spread awareness.

The local authorities have been told to carefully demarcate the containment zones at the micro level in accordance with the guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and state government. They must upload notification and list of containment zones in their jurisdiction areas on their websites as well as Health Ministry website.

On testing, tracking and treatment of the disease, the guidelines prescribed the following measures:

• Testing shall be carried out as per prescribed protocol. The proportion of RT-PCR tests in the total mix should be scaled up to the extent possible.
• Effective demarcation of containment zones, in vulnerable and high incidence areas, is key to breaking the chain of transmission and hence critical to containing the spread of the virus. Therefore, district/municipal authorities must carefully demarcate containment zones.
• Only essential activities shall be allowed in the containment zones.
• There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of
  people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for
  maintaining supply of essential goods and services.
• There shall be intensive house-to-house surveillance by surveillance teams.
• Listing of contacts shall be carried out in respect of all persons found positive, along with their tracking, identification, quarantine and follow up of contacts for 14 days (80% of contacts to be traced in 72 hours).
• Surveillance for ILI/ SARI cases shall be carried out in health facilities or outreach mobile units or through fever clinics in buffer zones.
• Quick isolation of COVID-19 patients shall be ensured in treatment facilities/ home.
• Clinical interventions and management protocol as prescribed will be administered.
• Effective infection, prevention and control practices should be followed in treatment facilities and by health care workers and professionals.

Also Read: COVID-19 Norms For April: Odisha Govt Focus On Pipili Bypoll & Public Functions