NEW DELHI: Amid a spike in Covid-19 cases globally, the government on Thursday announced random sampling of 2% of all international arrivals at airports from 10 am on Saturday. Children under 12 will be exempted from sampling if they are not found to be symptomatic of Covid.
The Union health ministry in its advisory updated its Covid protocol for international fliers and at points of entry like airports, seaports and the land border. It included thermal screening and physical distancing.
The decision came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting and cautioned against complacency while urging everyone to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially given the upcoming festive season, including wearing masks in crowded public places.
The meeting was held after Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who had written to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday to follow the pandemic protocol during his Bharat Jodo Yatra or suspend it, informed Parliament that the Centre is keeping a close eye on new Covid variants and taking all possible steps to combat it.
As of now, India has four cases of the highly contagious Omicron sublineage BF.7, two each in Gujarat and Odisha. It’s BF.7 that is driving the virus surge in China. Masks were back in Parliament with most members, including the prime minister, putting it on.
In the review meeting, Modi directed officials to strengthen surveillance and stressed the need to ensure that the entire Covid infrastructure is maintained at a high level of preparedness in terms of equipment, processes and human resources.
He advised states to audit Covid-specific facilities to ensure operational readiness, including oxygen cylinders, PSA plants and ventilators. He also directed officials to ramp up testing and genomic sequencing. Modi sought a fresh push to booster doses, especially for vulnerable and elderly groups.
In Parliament, Mandaviya said the Covid positivity rate in the country was down to 0.14% in the week ending December 22 though infection cases were spiralling in a few countries.
Avoid public gatherings
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) advised people to avoid public gatherings like marriages, political or social meetings, and international travel. It sought proactive steps to combat the virus
Air Suvidha
The government weighing options to reintroduce the ‘Air Suvidha’ forms with details of RT-PCR test conducted 72 hours prior to travel or complete vaccination proof for fliers from countries reporting high Covid cases
