Yes, it’s back. Back again… While I can sing an Eminem song in my head, the Covid-19 scare is also back, with China seeing a surge in cases, and a new variant seems to be popping up around the corner again in different parts of the world. While India is not upping the ante against the infection just yet, they definitely believe that Covid-19 will be brought into India from outside and not be a local emergence. So, we are back to testing international arrivals into India.
India’s to get 2% of passengers randomly tested on International Arrivals
At the moment, India does not require any Covid-19 vaccination confirmation to travel to India. It is advisable but not a requirement. The mask requirements have also been removed.
However, from now on, there will be thermal screening should be done in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the point of entry.
Additionally, from December 24, 2022, 10 AM IST onwards, 2% of the total passengers on board the flight shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival. Such passengers on each flight shall be identified by the airline (preferably from different countries). They will submit their samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport thereafter.
If passengers’ samples are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. Children under 12 years of age are exempted from post-arrival random testing.
Here is the circular that was issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to this effect.
Bottomline
India has reinstated random testing for 2% of International arrival into India at the moment. Passengers for this random test will be identified by the airline concerned on the back of the manifest and passenger nationality (preferably).
What do you think about this new random testing being initiated in India?
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We must be careful now only else it will be a disaster, already recession is going on. I liked your article sir
This kind of bureaucratic whim (testing of 2%) is the best way to increase the recession by scaring the tourists. And it is completely useless. I would be very happy to know how it can work. I already asked my airline crew in march and september, and nobody had heard about this anti-scientific measure. Since the beginning of the “Corona” operation of the Big Pharma, all the guidelines and measures are intended to give the ILLUSION of doing something effective against the epidemic (not only in India, of course). It’s like making the umbrella mandatory to fight the monsoon.