Aviation Ministry issues COVID-19 guidelines for random testing; check details

Covid cases in India: Following the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in China and other nations, the government decided to randomly test 2 per cent of passengers arriving on international flights starting on Saturday morning.

Team Newsable

First Published Dec 23, 2022, 4:35 PM IST

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced that random coronavirus testing of international arrival passengers will begin on Saturday, December 24, 2022. Additionally, the crew members will have to bring such identified passengers to the testing facility at the airport.

Following the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in China and other nations, the government decided to randomly test 2 per cent of passengers arriving on international flights starting on Saturday morning.

On Friday, the ministry in communication said that the airlines must direct their crew members to lead and bring identified 2 per cent of international arriving passengers to the airport's testing facility.

The communication added, "The airport operators would build the necessary infrastructure to allow for random testing of international arriving passengers at their respective airports."

The communication was sent to the aviation regulator DGCA, and copies were sent to all scheduled commercial airlines, airport operators, states, and union territories (UTs).

It added that after random testing, the passenger has to provide correct contact and address details to the Airport Health Officers (APHOs) airport authorities. It read, "The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shall reimburse the cost of testing upon submission of duly certified bills to APHOs."

Airlines will identify such passengers, preferably from different countries, on each flight. After giving the samples, such passengers are free to leave the airport.

The concerned airport will share a copy of the positive report with the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. For further follow-up, that will be further shared with the relevant State/Union Territory (UT).

"If any such travellers are positive," as per the communication, "their samples should be sent for genetic testing at the designated INSACOG laboratory network."

(With inputs from PTI)

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Last Updated Dec 23, 2022, 4:35 PM IST