By Online Desk
NEW DELHI: India has made post-arrival COVID-19 testing at the airport on arrival mandatory for travelers, irrespective of their Covid-19 vaccination status, coming to India from countries identified as ‘countries at risk’ in addition to pre-departure COVID-19 testing undertaken 72 hours before the departure.
According to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare relating to the updated ‘Guidelines for International arrivals’ for passengers found positive in these test, they will be isolated and treated as per the clinical management protocol besides their samples also taken for Whole Genome Sequencing. The passengers found negative can depart the airport but have to undergo home isolation for 7 days, followed by repeat testing on the 8th day of arrival in India, followed by 7 days of self-monitoring.
The Centre had issued revised guidelines on November 28. These updated guidelines issued on Monday says that further, in view of reports of an increasing number of countries reporting the Omicron variant, the present guidelines also mandate that 5% of the travelers coming from countries that are not in the ‘at risk category’ will also be tested on a random basis at the airports for COVID-19.
Samples of all individuals testing positive for Covid-19, either at airports under home isolation or during random sampling, will also be sent for Whole Genomic Sequencing at identified INSACOG network laboratories to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 variants (including Omicron).
The B.1.1.529 variant (Omicron) was first reported to WHO from South Africa on November 24 and the WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) on November 26 has classified it as a Variant of Concern (VoC) in view of large number mutations noted in the variant, some of which may make this mutation more transmissible and have immune escape behaviour. The emerging evidence on the issue is being monitored by the Union Ministry of Health.
States have also been advised for rigorous surveillance of international passengers, enhanced testing, monitoring the hotspots of COVID -19, ensuring augmentation of health infrastructure, including undertaking samples for whole-genome sequencing.
While the Union Ministry of Health continues to closely follow the evolving nature of the pandemic, strict adherence to COVID Appropriate Behavior (use of mask/face cover, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and respiratory hygiene) and undertaking Covid-19 vaccination remain the mainstay for managing COVID-19 at the community level.
