Amid the rising Covid scare across many countries, the Union Health Ministry has asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to ensure a sub-section of 2 percent of total passengers on the flight undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival.
In a letter to Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said: “It has been decided that the Ministry of Civil Aviation in coordination with airport operators and Airport Health Offices (APHOs) shall ensure a sub-section of 2 percent of the total passengers in the flight shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival.”
He also said that such travelers in each flight should be identified by the airlines concerned and preferably from different countries. Such travelers will submit the samples and be allowed to leave the airport.
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“A copy of the positive report shall be shared with Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme at [email protected] by the concerned testing laboratory (besides sharing with the APHOs) to be in turn shared with the concerned state/UT for further follow-up action. In case, any such travelers are tested positive, their samples should be sent for genomic testing at the designated INSACOG laboratory network.
“While the Ministry of Civil Aviation may coordinate the testing, the cost of testing shall be reimbursed by this Ministry on submission of duly certified bills to respective Airport Health Offices (APHOs). Ministry of Civil Aviation is requested that this testing may be done at a subsidised and uniform rate across all international airports,” Bhushan said in the letter. This arrangement will come into the practice with effect from 10 a.m. on Saturday (December 24).
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