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North-eastern states of Meghalaya and Mizoram have issued new guidelines for national and international travellers coming to these states. The new guidelines were issued after the Omicron variant of COVID-19 was detected in some states, the officials said on Tuesday.

Meghalaya government has issued new guidelines making it mandatory for people entering the state to register with the government website and download the Arogya Setu App and the Behavioural Change Management App, an official said.

“It is mandatory for all persons entering Meghalaya to register themselves prior to their travel at http://meghalayaonline.gov.in/covid/testing.htm and to download the Arogya Setu App and the Behavioural Change Management App of Meghalaya from Google play store or App store. However, tourists should register on the Meghalaya portal at https://meghalaya.gov.in/ to generate the ‘e-invite for tourists’,” the state government said in a statement.

For international arrivals, it is mandatory to fill up the Self Declaration Form (SDF) and uploading of negative RT-PCR test reports for all international travellers as per notification from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India dated November 28.

“RT-PCR testing at entry is mandatory for all persons coming from countries at risk such as countries in Europe including The United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel,” it added.

Travellers shall be at home quarantine for seven-days. Retesting shall be done by the concerned officials of district surveillance unit on the 8th day and if negative, self health monitoring by the traveller shall be maintained for the next 7 days. If tested positive on a repeat testing, sample shall be sent for genomic testing.

Travellers coming from countries excluding those enlisted as countries at risk, a random sample of 5 per cent travellers to undergo RT-PCR testing upon arrival at the entry points, the statement said.

If tested negative self health monitoring for 14 days and if tested positive sample for genomic testing needs to be done, it added.

For domestic travellers, the entry protocol remains the same for the rest of the travellers and the travellers are advised to follow the Covid Appropriate Behaviour at all times which includes wearing a mask, maintaining social distance and frequent sanitization of the hands.

Similarly, International travellers entering Mizoram will have to undergo mandatory Rapid Antigen Test. Following the recommendations of a State Level Expert Team on COVID-19 Management, the Mizoram government has issued these guidelines, the official said on Tuesday.

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 undergo mandatory screening with Rapid Antigen Test.

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.

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.

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.

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 seven-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 test 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. (PTI)

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