The random COVID-19 testing of international passengers arriving in India started at Delhi airport on Saturday as the authorities step up measures to prevent possible spread of the infection in the country. Two percent of passengers arriving in each international flight will be subject to random coronavirus testing at airports from Saturday. Such travellers in each flight will be identified by the airlines concerned and after submitting the sample, passengers will be allowed to leave the airport.
Children below 12 years will be exempted from screening. However, if found symptomatic, he/she will have to undergo testing.
Airport has been instructed not to charge passengers for this random sampling.
Safety and convenience for our passengers. Smooth random testing for international arrivals at #DelhiAirport.@MoCA_GoI @JM_Scindia @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/5SDpKXCr3N
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) December 24, 2022
Thermal screening is being done for all passengers at the point of entry and those found to be symptomatic during screening will be immediately isolated.
Delhi Airport also urged everyone to cooperate with the on-ground staff during the testing procedures.
Amid a spurt in cases in Japan, United States of America, South Korea, Brazil, France and China, India has stepped surveillance and genome sequencing of COVID=19 positive samples. Chinese cities are currently hit by the highly transmissible Omicron strain mostly BF.7 which is the main variant spreading in Beijing and is contributing to a wider surge of infections in that country.
BF.7 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5 and has the strongest infection ability since it is highly transmissible. It has a shorter incubation period, and has a higher capacity to cause reinfection or infect even those vaccinated.
Also, 97 percent of the India's eligible population have been administered the first dose while 90 percent have taken the second as well. But, only 27 percent of the eligible population has taken the precaution dose.
With agencies inputs
(Edited by : Anshul)
First Published: Dec 24, 2022 12:01 PM IST
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