SOP for Covid behaviour detailed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 31 2020: As the State is seeing a rise in the number of coronavirus positive cases, the Health Department has released SOP for COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour to be enforced at local/village/community level to better control the pandemic.

Local shops found not enforcing physical distancing by their customers may be forcibly closed for one week, said the SOP.

At the localities/villages:
1.Local Covid Awareness cum Enforcement Committees (LCC) formed by the Assembly-segment Covid Awareness cum Enforcement Committees shall monitor people visiting the local tea stalls, vegetable vendors, shops etc to ensure the Covid Appropriate Behaviours-wearing of face masks, maintaining a minimum distance of 6 feet and frequent hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette are strictly followed.

a) 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.

c) People should stay safely at home and go out only when essential and unavoidable.

d) Get-togethers, mingling with neighbours, friends or relatives, playing cards/ludos, gathering in tea shops, occupying public places/spaces in groups should be avoided.

Consumption of alcoholic drinks is prohibited.

e) Entry and exit of non-locals may be restricted during night.

f) Local/Assembly/District level committees shall administer pledge for Covid Appropriate Behaviour as part of Jan Andolan campaign whenever there are meetings.

2.Gathering of people
a) Gathering of people for social/academic/ sports/entertainment cultural/religious/political functions are now permitted as per MHA Home Department order.

b) However, as per MHA
i) There is need to exercise abundant appropriate behaviour by every citizen in his daily routine.

ii) State Government should regulate various gatherings of people and strictly enforce the same as per their SOPs.

iii) The COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over and such gatherings can be risky "super spreader" events.

c) Any gathering of large number of people for social/sports/entertainment/cultural may be organised only if there is concrete &specific justification and after obtaining written permission of the DC concerned.

d) Where permission is granted, the District Administration shall ensure that organizers allow only 50% of the hall/space capacity to be occupied, with mandatory wearing of face mask, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer.

3.Awareness and enforcement
a) The LCC shall aid the enforcement of COVID related regulations at the local level by coordinating with District Police and District Administration.

b) Special District Police COVID-19 QRT to cooperate with LCC whenever necessary may be set up.

c) SOP violators to be reported to COVID Police QRT for necessary legal action with punishment.

d) Local committees to relay audio awareness messages to follow the basic COVID-19 SOPs like mandatory face masks and social distancing maintenance, hand sanitizing/washing etc through a loudspeaker on daily basis during morning-noon-evening.

4.Local shops and markets
a) Local shops and market places should not become places of risky crowding.

One option is to open on alternate days.

Local shops may be opened on even dates and nearby main market may be opened on odd number dates.

The Assembly-segment Committee shall liase with the District Level Committee and LCC for suitable arrangements.

Concerned DC may issue suitable orders accordingly.

b) Ideally, only one person per family should go shopping.

c) Selling of tobacco products like Pan, Khaini etc shall be restricted in all localities.

d) Shops will draw circles/squares in front of their shops to ensure proper queuing and distancing by customers.

e) Local shops that do not enforce physical distancing by their customers may be forcibly closed for one week.

5.Home Isolation
a) COVID-19 positive person who are in home isolation shall be intimated to the LCC by concerned CMO team and the Local Committee shall monitor the person in home isolation with help of Asha workers.

b) Local committee shall identify and maintain a register for chronic and comorbid patients in their respective locality and monitor on regular basis through phone calls and home visit by Asha workers of LCC.

c) Local committee should also recommend and register the details of all the available local Asha workers and other Government employees who could be the part of the respective Local Committee for regular duty in their respective locality as per the requirements.

Penalties for violating SOP as per the Manipur Epidemic Diseases (Enforcement of COVID-19 Guidelines) Regulation, 2020: Failure to wear face mask-Rs 200, failure to maintain physical distancing in public places-Rs 200, spitting in public places-Rs 500, consumption of pan (kwa), gutka and tobacco in public places-Rs 200 and gathering in excess of the authorised number of persons-Rs 10,000.On the other hand, media briefing will be held every Friday afternoon at the Directorate of Health Services by the Director and senior doctors, mentioned the Govt SOP.

Meanwhile, an order of the Home Department has informed that the guidelines of the Unlock 5 will remain in force upto November 30, 2020 .

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