Omicron scare puts scanner on international passengers

Hyderabad: Amid the Omicron scare around the world, the Telangana State Health Department has implemented new guidelines for international passengers arriving at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Shamshabad from 12 countries which are considered as 'at-risk' countries by the Centre. As per the new guidelines, all international passengers will have to undergo RT-PCR test. They will have to wait for at least six hours till they receive results in special lounges meant for passengers coming from abroad. The waiting time can be reduced if they pay higher fees for the RT-PCR test at special counters. First the passengers must fill the self-declaration form and upload it on the Air Suvidha portal.

Secondly, passengers will have to upload their Covid-19 status report taken before 17 hours of their departure. If they are from the 12 high risk countries and test positive, they will be shifted to the designated health centre. Their samples would be sent for genome sequencing. The details of those who have to undergo home quarantine would be shared with the Health department who would keep them under surveillance.

Those who test positive will be sent to TIMS in Gachibowli, where their samples will be collected and will be sent for genome sequencing and results will be received in three days. They will be kept under isolation for 14 days in the special ward and only after receiving negative results will they be allowed to go. The 12 nations that are listed as 'at-risk' for India are European countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, Israel, and New Zealand. Passengers arriving from these 12 countries would need to follow additional measures on arrival to Hyderabad.

Public Health Director Srinivasa Rao informed that 41 passengers from the UK, Europe, and Hong Kong had come to Hyderabad, but their RT-PCR test results proved negative. He further said that the Omicron has been found to spread six times faster than the Delta variant, but the severity of the disease remains low. "No matter how many variants come, we can protect ourselves if we follow the Covid-19 norms," said Srinivasa Rao.