Health ministry asks aviation ministry to initiate random testing of 2% passengers post arrival at all international airports
- Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan writes a letter to Rajiv Bansal, secretary, ministry of civil aviation, to coordinate with airport operators and ensure random sampling of passengers‘ post arrival at the airport
To minimize the risk of new covid variants, the union health ministry has requested slew of covid-19 preventive measures to be followed at all the airports. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written a letter to Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation to coordinate with airport operators and ensure random sampling of passengers‘ post arrival at the airport. Starting Christmas eve i.e.,24 December, the arrangements should come into force from 10AM.
“While ministry of health & family welfare is maintaining a close watch over the dynamic situation, in order to minimize the risk of ingress of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the country, it has been decided that ministry of civil aviation in coordination with airport operators and AirPort Health Offices (APHO) shall ensure that a sub section of 2% of the total passengers in the flight shall undergo random post arrival testing at the airport on arrival,” Bhushan said in the letter seen by Mint.
“Such travelers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). A copy of the positive report shall be shared with Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme by the concerned Testing Laboratory to be in turn shared with the concerned states/UT for further follow up action,” said Bhushan requesting the civil aviation ministry that the testing may be done at a subsidized and uniform rate across all the international airports.
Globally, the number of new covid cases continue to remain alarmingly high with around 5.9 lakh daily new cases reported on average during the week ending 19 December. This spike in the trajectory of covid-19 is particularly concerning with respect to China, Japan, US, South Korea, Brazil and France where cases are increasing in a sustained manner.
While the testing may be coordinated by the ministry of civil aviation, cost of testing shall be reimbursed by the health ministry on submission of duly certified bills to respective APHOs.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually chaired a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 situation in the country preparedness in the wake of sudden covid surge globally due to Omicron BF.7 variant. Modi directed state governments to ensure operational readiness of hospital infrastructure, stressed on precaution dose vaccination for elderly & vulnerable population and instructed to strengthen surveillance, genome sequencing & testing and advised people to follow covid-19 preventive measures.
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Business NewsNewsIndiaHealth ministry asks aviation ministry to initiate random testing of 2% passengers post arrival at all international airports
First Published:22 Dec 2022, 11:29 PM IST
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