2% Foreign Flyers Shall Undergo Random Covid Tests: Health Secy to Aviation Ministry | Details Here

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday announced that in light of Covid-19 concerns in India, 2% of all International passengers arriving in airports will be randomly tested for the virus through an RT-PCR test. He made the announcement during the Parliament session.

In light of Mandaviya’s announcement, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to Secretary of Civil Aviation Ministry Rajiv Bansal, explaining measures to be taken at airports. The guidelines will be in place from December 24, starting at 10 am.

Mandaviya was responding to queries of some Opposition MPs after his suo moto statement in Rajya Sabha on the latest COVID-19 situation and India’s preparedness.

Here’s all you need to know:

1. A sub-section of 2% of the total passengers in the flight shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival.
2. Such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries).
3. Such travellers will also submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport.
4. A copy of the positive report shall be shared with Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme by the concerned Testing Laboratory (besides sharing with the APHOS) to be in turn shared with concerned State/UT for further follow up action.
5. In case any such travellers are tested positive, their samples need to be sent for genomic testing at the designated INSACOG laboratory network.

In response to a query by AAP leader Raghav Chadha on whether the government would ban direct flights from China, Mandaviya said, “We are constantly monitoring the situation. There are no direct flights between China and India but people come via other routes.”

Mandaviya said he has spoken to many countries and WHO about what all precautions are needed to be taken and also understand in which direction the pandemic is moving. “At a primary stage, we have already started doing 2 per cent random sampling of any traveller coming to India,” he said. The minister further said “in the coming days the percentage could be increased and if necessary we will make it mandatory for everyone coming to India”.

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