State Spokespersons for Covid-19, Neiba Kronu and Mmhonlumo Kikon along with senior government officials held a press conference at Secretariat conference on 2nd June 2020. 

Kronu said that the state government has come out with the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) after the cabinet meeting held on 1st June 2020. Wherein, a High Power Committee has been constituted with the Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio and Dy. Chief Minister, Y. Patton as the Chairman and Co-Chairman to be assisted by Minister Health & Family Welfare, P. Pangnyu Phom, Minister Planning & Coordination, Neiba Kronu, Advisor IT, Mmhonlumo Kikon as members and Chief Secretary, Temjen Toy, IAS as the Member Secretary.  

Kronu said the Committee held a meeting with all the DCs, SPs and CMOs in the districts through Video conferencing and got to know the various issues and challenges faced in the districts. He said the total number of beds ready for use in the quarantine centres across the state is 13008. 

The decisions taken after the cabinet meeting held on 1st June 2020. The revised SOP for the returnees to Nagaland.  

1. Those persons returned to the state on 22th May 2020 by the Special Train from Chennai and are still in Kohima and Dimapur quarantine centres will continue to remain until the Covid-19 test is done on all such persons. 
2. Persons tested negative will be sent to their respective home districts. 
3. Persons tested positive but do not require hospitalization and are fit to travel will be sent to their home districts to be kept at district Covid-19 hospitals for treatment under special transportation. 
4. Persons tested positive and showing symptoms requiring hospitalization and not fit for travel will be shifted to the Covid-19 hospitals of Dimapur and Kohima as the case may be for treatment. 

Returnees from NE states before 18th May 2020.

1. All returnees from Green Zones of the NE states before 18th May 2020 and have completed 14 days institutional quarantine in Dimapur or Kohima or in any other district, and not exhibiting any symptoms will be immediately released for undergoing home quarantine for another 14 days without the mandatory testing. 
2. Those returnees who are still in Kohima or Dimapur quarantine centres will be released to their respective district task force for undergoing 14 days in home quarantine. 

All returnees other than the above two categories: 

1. All the returnees reaching the state at Dimapur either by train, air, road will be segregated district-wise at the entry point/ Agri Expo site, thermally screened and all found asymptomatic will be transferred to the quarantine centres in the respective districts. 
2. Persons entering the state via Khuzama, the DTF Kohima will make similar arrangements. 
3. All the returnees showing symptoms will be subject to medical protocol at Dimapur and Kohima; and based on the fitness will be retained or transported to the respective home districts. 
4. In case the quarantine centres in any particular district gets fully filled up and unable to accommodate any more returnees, then arrangements will be made in the quarantine centres at Dimapur or Kohima or vice versa wherever space is available at that point of time. 
5. Sample of all the returnees will be taken in the respective districts and tested  for  Covid-19  in the BSL 3 lab at Kohima  or in the labs in Assam/ Manipur  or in the upcoming BSL 2 lab at Dimapur , when functional, or in the TrueNat machines wherever available. 
6. Those whose test is positive will be shifted to the respective district Covid-19 hospital. 
7. After 14 days institutional quarantine, the returnees if tested negative and found asymptomatic will be released for undergoing another 14 days home quarantine. 
8. Persons above the age of 60 years, Children below the age of 10 years and parents and pregnant women and accompanying spouse and patients, they shall be thoroughly screened and on the advice of the medical team at the entry points/ screening centre will be sent for 28 days home quarantine. 

(Nongozo Rikha, APRO)