Karnataka issues SOP for UK returnees

Udupi, Dec 23, 2020: The Karnataka government has issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for surveillance and response in the context of new variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in United Kingdom.

Scope :

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) describes the activities to be undertaken at the point of entry (i.e. International airports at Bengaluru and Mangaluru; Mangaluru and Karwar seaports) and in the community for all international passengers who have travelled from or transited through UK in the past 4 weeks (from 25th November to 23 rd December 2020). Any reference to testing in this SOP implies RT-PCR testing only.

Actions to be taken at International Airports/Seaports

All international travellers as described in the scope above will be required to declare as per existing procedure, their travel history (of past 14 days) and fill up the Self Declaration Form to be screened for COVID-19.

The flights from UK stand suspended temporarily from 23rd December till 31st December 2020 or till further orders. All the passengers coming from UK during the intervening period from 21st to 23rd December 2020 shall be subjected to the following process:

1. KIAL Bengaluru, Mangaluru airport, Mangaluru seaport and Karwar seaport shall ensure that all passengers travelling from or transiting through airports in UK and disembarking in India would be subjected to RT-PCR test on arrival. RT-PCR test shall be done for all such passengers on arrival even if they are carrying negative test report.

2. In case of a positive sample, it is recommended that spike gene-based RT-PCR test should also be performed by an appropriate laboratory.

3. Passengers testing positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate (isolation) unit co-ordinated by the respective District Health Authorities/BBMP. They should earmark specific facilities for such isolation and treatment. All passengers testing positive shall not be allowed for home isolation irrespective of symptoms till genomic sequencing is completed. Discharge from isolation facility/hospital shall be as mentioned in 3.4.2

4. All testing labs are hereby instructed to send the positive samples to lnStem (NCBS) / NIMHANS, Bengaluru for genomic sequencing.

• If the report of these quenching is consistent with the current SARS-CoV-2 virus genome circulating in the country; the ongoing treatment protocol including home isolation/treatment at facility level as per case severity may be followed.
• If the genomic sequencing indicates the presence of new variant of SARSCOV-2 then the patient will continue to remain in a separate isolation unit. While necessary treatment as per the existing protocol will be given, the patient shall be tested on 14th day, after having tested positive in the initial test. In case the sample is found positive on 14th day, further sample may be taken until his two consecutive samples taken 24 hours apart are tested negative.

5. Those who are found negative on testing with RT-PCR at the airport/seaport would be advised strict quarantine at home for 14 days and followed up as detailed in para 5.

6. The concerned airlines shall ensure that prior to check-in, the traveller is explained about this SOP. In-flight announcements must also be made explaining the relevant information to the passengers. Relevant information in this regard shall be prominently displayed in arrival area and waiting area of the airports.

7. Adequate arrangements for passengers waiting for their RT-PCR test results duly following effective isolation may also be made at the airports/seaports in conjunction with the airport/sea port authorities.

Click here to view and download detailed SOP