As India began random Covid-19 testing of two percent of international arrivals on Saturday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that RT-PCR tests will be made mandatory for passengers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand.
Filling up the 'Air Suvidha' form to declare their health status will be also be made mandatory for passengers coming from these countries. The Air Suvidha form asks for travellers' complete vaccination proof or details of RT-PCR test conducted 72 hours prior to travel.
The Union Health Ministry and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have urged all passengers to mask up, avoid overcrowding at airports, and maintain physical distance while deboarding. Thermal screening will be done on all passengers arriving on international flights and symptomatic individuals will be immediately isolated at a medical facility.
Though India has ruled out any travel restrictions, the Centre has requested states to heighten surveillance and ramp up genome testing of positive samples. The fresh spike in Covid-19 cases abroad has been attributed to the BF 7 sub-variant. Though India has reported a few cases of the sub-variant, experts feel India has little to worry due to the advantage of 'hybrid immunity'. "Under present circumstances, there is no need to restrict international flights or impose a lockdown," Dr Randeep Guleria, a former AIIMS director, said on Friday.
In a fresh advisory on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry also directed states and union territories to ensure regular supply of medical oxygen.
"Though Covid cases in the country are low and not surging as of now, but to face any challenges arising in future, the operationalisation and maintenance of these medical infrastructure is utmost importance," the Health Ministry's Additional Secretary Manohar Agnani said in the letter in the wake of a Covid-19 surge in China and other countries.
During the second wave in 2021, hospitals had battled a shortage of medical oxygen.
