Triple Mutant Variant: Odisha Makes 14-Day Quarantine Mandatory For People Travelling From Bengal

Bhubaneswar: With the detection of the triple mutant variant of COVID-19 and the fast spread of the virus in West Bengal, the Odisha government on Thursday made it mandatory for people coming from the neighbouring state either by road or air to undergo 14-day institutional or paid quarantine.

This order will come into force from Friday.

“The people coming from West Bengal without COVID negative report or 2-dose vaccination certificate will be sent to institutional quarantine/paid quarantine centres in Cluster TMC to be managed by BDO/EO of urban areas. Air travellers from Bengal will also be sent on mandatory institutional quarantine,” Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra said in an evening bulletin.

He further said that all roads connecting with Bengal will have checkpoints. The collectors of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts have been directed to put up border check-posts at all major and minor entry points on inter-state roads including national highway, state highway and local roads along the Bengal border with immediate effect. Besides, they have been told to make adequate police arrangement for such tracking.

People travelling from Bengal to other states through Odisha will be allowed without
disembarking from the vehicle en route inside Odisha.

Sarpanchs and ward members of PRIs will be mobilised to promote awareness in their areas and report to BDO/police station/local authorities about any person coming from Bengal not quarantined in institutional facilities.

However, those who will produce certificates of two doses of vaccine or negative RTPCR test conducted within 48 hours of entering Odisha may be allowed home quarantine for 14 days.

Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and legal action under Section 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions, the chief secretary added.