Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 19
The state government’s initial announcement that returnees from the Green and Orange Zones would be quarantined only for 3 days in the government facilities had generated mixed response and apprehension among the citizens.
In this regard, the Diphupar Village Council (DVC), along with community leaders, church leaders, youth and women organizations, took up initiative to accommodate the returnees in institutionalized community quarantine centres in the village, on completion of the 3 days in government facilities.
Noting that three days was too short to ensure that a person is COVID-19 free, the Village Council called a meeting with all the community leaders, church leaders, youth and women organizations on May 13 and 15.
During the course of the meeting, it was decided that all the communities will take care of the returnees belonging to their respective community.
“Initially, a common quarantine centre was planned. But after deliberation, we could not find a feasible location to accommodate returnees from all the communities,” Ghuzui Shohe, President of the DVC told The Morung Express.
Accordingly, community based quarantine centres was proposed and agreed upon.
While the communities will look after the returnees in their respective centres, the overall monitoring and supervision will be done by the Village Council, Shohe added. Additional assistance, if required, will also be provided by the Village Council, he said.
The arrangement for community-level quarantine units has been made as many homes do not have the required space and include several family members, they said. “Not every family is the same. Some returnees may not have the amenities to self- isolate after three days at the government centre,” Shohe explained.
The state government’s revised Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) dated May 18 has stated that all persons entering the State from May 18 onwards will undergo 14-day mandatory institutional quarantine, followed by another 14 days of home quarantine.
However, for those who arrived before May 18, the modified SOP will not apply.
Accordingly, the communities in Diphupar Village will identify all the returnees from the green and orange zones and prepare for their accommodation in their respective community quarantine centres for 21 days.
On completion of 21 days, they will undergo a medical examination, after which they can proceed to their own homes, the DVC chairman said.
Preparations underway
Ao Baptist Church Diphupar Pastor Lipok Jamir told The Morung Express that the Ao church and community has begun preparations for receiving the returnees.
The Government Middle School (Ao) in Diphupar is the designated Ao community quarantine centre and all the expenses for the centre will be borne by the church, Pastor Lipok added. The preparation for the same began by May 16. Sanitation, safety measures and food will be taken care of and the church’s furniture will be used at the quarantine centre.
Youth volunteers have gone house to house collecting names of all the returnees. So far, 11 people from the green zones are expected at the quarantine centre, Pastor Lipok said.
The Sumi community has also identified a location to house the returnees from green zones after they complete three days in the government facilities. 4-5 people have been listed and preparations are underway accordingly, according to some community leaders.
Meanwhile, Ghuzui Shohe also said that almost all the communities in Diphupar Village are ready to receive the returnees from the green zones who have arrived in the state till May 18.
