Due to the new Omicron Covid threat, the coalition government’s new travel rules for international passengers will take effect on Wednesday, and many airports across the country, including Delhi and Mumbai’s airports, have implemented new restrictions. 19 variants. On Tuesday, the Federal Minister of Health Rajesh Bhushan held a meeting with the states and federal territories during which he asked them to strengthen testing against Covid-19 and improve the testing infrastructure.
States are also required to test international travelers from “at-risk” countries on the day of arrival, and send samples of people who test positive to designated laboratories for genome sequencing. Currently, European countries including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, and Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel have been listed as “at risk” countries by the Union Ministry of Health.
The following are some arrangements made at Delhi and Mumbai International Airports according to the new guidelines. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued an order for international passengers arriving at the airport, stating that the center’s new guidelines must be strictly followed.
Airlines are expected to notify passengers from “at risk” countries that they will be tested upon arrival in Delhi. They will also undergo mandatory quarantine, test positive, and their samples will be collected for genome sequencing.
If the result is negative, the passenger will be sent home to quarantine for a week and be tested again on the eighth day. When they test negative again, they will be advised to self-monitor for another week. However, such restrictions do not apply to people from other countries. In addition, children under five years old are excluded unless they are found to have symptoms.
Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital has set up a dedicated ward with 40 beds to accommodate passengers who have tested positive. Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaji International Airport (CSMIA) said on Tuesday that passengers from “at-risk” countries will be isolated from those people and arrive from other countries.
An ANI report stated that 48 check-in counters and 40 sampling kiosks have been established to provide adequate RT-PCR testing facilities for international immigrants. It also stated that these facilities will be increased if needed.
In order to facilitate a shorter test for passengers transiting in Mumbai, 30 fast PCR machines are also provided.
CSMIA stated that it has also arranged a large rest area for arriving passengers, QR codes at various locations in the arrival corridor, and convenient facilities such as toilets, food and beverages.
People from “at-risk” countries will undergo a 7-day institutional quarantine and will be tested for Covid-19 on the second, fourth, and seventh days.
News Source : Hindustan Times
