In an effort to control the spiraling COVID-19 pandemic situation in the state effectively, the Manipur government on Saturday issued new standard operating procedure (SOP) for COVID Appropriate Behaviour at local, village and community level.
New SOP for COVID Appropriate Behavior issued by the state health department:
Selling of tobacco products to be restricted in all localities
Consumption of alcoholic drinks is prohibited.
Shops will draw circles or squares in front of their shops to ensure proper queuing and distancing by customers
Local shops that do not enforce physical distancing by their customers may be forcibly closed for a week.
Meanwhile, an order of the home department issued on Saturday extended the Unlock 2 guidelines.
“The Unlock 2 guidelines issued on October 1 will remain in force up to November 30 or until further orders whichever is earlier,” the order stated.
Other Guidelines at locality, village and community levels.
The health department also notified various guidelines for facilitating Covid prevention and strict adherence to the COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviours for individuals, families and community at locality, village and community levels.
1. According to the notification, the enforcement of the guidelines will be looked after by Covid Awareness cum Enforcement Committees at the state level, assembly level, district level and local level.
2. The enforcement committee at the state level will be headed by the chief minister, assembly-segment committee by respective MLA, district committee by respective DCs.
3. The Local Covid Awareness cum Enforcement Committee (LCC) will be formed by Assembly-segment Covid Awareness cum Enforcement Committees comprising local leaders of clubs, Meira Lup, village authority and government employees including teachers/ lecturers who are residents of the respective locality, ANMs, ASHAs, Anganwadi workers.
4. A state-Level Monitoring Cell based in the Covid Control Room at Directorate of Health Services will monitor the Covid awareness and enforcement activities.
5. Health department will release Rs 50,000 per assembly segment to the DCs for meeting contingency expenses, including IEC material, face masks, hand sanitisers etc.
6. Local Covid Awareness cum Enforcement Committee (LCC) shall monitor people visiting the local tea stalls, vegetable vendors, shops etc to ensure the Covid Appropriate Behaviours.
“Social and customary ceremonies, rituals and funerals should be organised for the family members only. In cases where other persons are required to attend such functions, the size of the gathering should be limited to 20 or less,” the order stated, adding that people should go out only when essential and unavoidable.
7. Get-togethers, mingling with neighbours, friends or relatives, playing cards/ ludos, gathering in tea shops, occupying public places/ spaces in groups should be avoided.
8. Restrictions may be made in the entry and exit of non-locals during night, it said.
9. Although gathering of people for social/ academic/ sports/ entertainment/ cultural/ religious/ political functions are now permitted as per MHA/ Home Department order, any gathering of large number of people may be organised only if there is concrete and specific justification and after obtaining written permission of the DC concerned.
10. The LCC shall aid the enforcement of Covid related regulations at the local level by coordinating with District Police and District Administration.
11. The Assembly-segment Committee shall liase with the District Level Committee and LCC for suitable arrangements to avoid risky crowding in local shops and market places and the concerned DC will issue suitable orders accordingly.
Regarding home isolation
1. The order stated that COVID-19 positive persons who are under home isolation shall be intimated to the LCC by concerned CMO team and the Local Committee to monitor them, with the help of Asha Workers.
2. Local Committee should identify and maintain a register for Chronic and Co-morbid Patients in their respective locality and monitor on regular basis through phone calls and home visit by Asha Workers of LCC.
3. Local committee should also recommend and register the details of all the available local Asha Workers and other government employees who could be part of the respective Local Committee for regular duty in their respective locality as per the requirements, it added.
4. Authorities for imposing penalties for violating guidelines and restrictions under Manipur Epidemic Diseases (Enforcement of COVID-19 Guidelines) Regulation, 2020 are DC/ADC/SDOI SP/Addi.SP/SDPO/Inspector/ SI/Al and Revenue Inspector.
5. The LCC may report to the above authorities for imposing penalty by submitting geo-tagged photographs with date/time, the health department notification order added.
