Nagaland: Compulsory COVID-19 testing for everyone who entered the state after Dec 20

Dimapur: The government of Nagaland has directed the people who have entered Nagaland after December 20 to report to the District Task Forces (DTF) for COVID-19 testing.

The information was stated in a press communique from the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare. This is done in view of the new variant strain of the coronavirus, which has emerged in the United Kingdom.

The press communique, which is issued by the Nagaland Principal Director, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare stated, "All persons who have come to Nagaland, either Indian or Foreign Nationals after the 20th December are to report to the Respective District Task Force (DTF) on Covid-19 for compulsory testing."

The release further informed that anyone, who is arriving in Nagaland after this circular is issued should self declare at the point of entry, inform the DTF and self isolate for necessary standard testing protocols.

The new mutant strain is being called the VUI-202012/01. This is the very first 'variant under investigation' in the UK. It has emerged in the UK in December 2020. Although the scientists are still on a hunt to find more information on the virus, the impact of the new strain can already be felt as many countries have imposed restrictions on travellers from the UK.the new strain of COVID-19 has originated in southeast England. The newly found strain is 70 per cent more transmissible than COVID-19. This has prompted the Indian government to suspend flights to and from the UK till December 31.

If any new variant of the existing COVID-19 is found in India, it will be sent to any of the two notified COVID Virus Repositories at RCB- Faridabad or NIV, Pune for isolating the virus and further culturing.

Although it is said that the new strain is more transmissible than COVID-19, there is no experimental evidence of increased infection severity associated with the aforementioned new variant.

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