Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 15
As per the COVID-19 SOP issued on January 8, any individual (12 years and above), including the vaccinated, entering the state was required to produce COVID negative test report “with the swab given for testing not earlier than 3 days of the date of arrival.” The SOP further stated that if the incoming traveler did not have a negative test report, the individual was required to undergo testing at the point of arrival. The individual was further required to quarantine at home or at a paid facility till the declaration of the result.
This was the routine procedure and was assumed to have been applied till February 15 when revised guidelines were issued by the Home Department.
On February 6, two persons (name withheld) reached Dimapur by flight from Delhi and went through the procedure as specified in the January 8 order. They opted to quarantine at home till they were informed of the test results. They expected to get the results the next day but it did not come. They waited for the next day but still it did not come as expected and the days passed with no news or information about the tests.
As told to The Morung Express, they tried checking for the results through the auto generated link sent to their registered phone numbers. They also tried the Nagaland COVID portal (covid19.nagaland.gov.in) using their SRF (Specimen Referral Form) ID but it bore no record about their COVID test taken on February 6. It was informed that the web portal is operated/maintained by the IT Department.
The days turned into a week and it was only on February 15 that they came to know of the test results, albeit, informally. It was negative.
It turned out that their swabs were tested, however the results data were not uploaded or did not register on the COVID portal and they were not informed of the test outcome through any other mode.
When contacted, a state Health official expressed regret for what was reportedly a procedural gaffe. According to the official, “There are some issues with the SRF number. (We are) working on it.”
