District Magistrate West Tripura Dr Sandeep Mahatme on Monday came up with a clarification relating to issuing notice to MLA Sudip Roy Barman directing the MLA to go for 7-day Institutional and another 7-day home quarantine following Roy Barman’s visit to Bhagat Singh Youth Hostel Covid Care Centre on Sunday. Clarifying the directive, Dr Mahatme said that Roy Barman might get confused between the terms “Covid Care Centre” and “quarantine centre”.
The DM further made it clear that taking permission from the appropriate authority and informing someone in a short notice were two completely contrasting things.
Notably, after the DM asked Roy Barman to go to Institutional Quarantine on Sunday night, Sudip Roy Barman wrote a reply letter on Monday raising several points and defied the directive.
Replying to MLA’s letter, the DM told media , “As per the Covid 19 SOPs, the Covid Care centres are considered to be restricted areas and entering into such areas needs prior permissions. Anyone who is willing to visit must procure the necessary permission in ‘document’ form. In such cases, as the MLA said that his visit was in knowledge of MS and some officials, it could not stand as a substantial condition”.
| Also Read : Tripura BJP MLA defies quarantine orders |
Dr Mahatme also said, “As he has mentioned the asymptomatic, presymptomatic or home isolation protocols, these are the measures prescribed for people who are already positive. Generally, in Covid 19 treatment facilities, the chances of getting infected remain strong. Despite having worn a PPE kit, the techniques of using PPE kits and undressing also influence the infection chances. All those who come out from the Covid 19 treatment facilities are advised to stay in institutional quarantine for seven days and rest of the seven days in home quarantine. In this period the samples are collected for testing”.
“Once report of a person comes positive, the issue of asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic or as such comes up for discussion”, Dr Mahatme said.
On Sudip’s allegations of conspiracy, he said, “As I have clarified earlier, in the quarantine centers no positive patient stays. As soon as someone tests positive he or she is readily shifted to the Covid care facility. He has been advised to follow the institutional quarantine for the larger interest of the society. And, if he is not ready to go Institutional quarantine where some already tested negative patients are staying, he should follow the home quarantine restrictions”.
