Mumbai: Fresh guidelines for international travelers
Amid rising concern of new COVID-19 variant Omicron, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued modified guidelines for international travelers arriving at the Mumbai Airport. Now, all international passengers will have to undergo rapid RT-PCR tests at the airport.
The guidelines came into effect from Monday. As per the new guidelines, all international passengers who test positive for rapid RT-PCR tests have to wait at the airport for a routine RT-PCR test.
If a passenger tests negative then she or he will be asked to remain in home quarantined for next seven days.
“With the continuous threat of rising cases of COVID-19 in the past few days and detection of Variant of Concern (VOC) ‘Omicron’ suggesting increase in transmissibility, it is necessary to be extra vigilant in enforcing public health measures to contain the spread of the pandemic. It is imperative to undertake enhanced surveillance of international travelers,” stated the order issued by municipal commissioner I S Chahal.
According to the guidelines, all symptomatic passengers testing positive in Airport will be admitted at Seven Hills Hospital. But in case of patients preferring admission in a private hospital, then they will be transferred to Bombay Hospital or Breach Candy Hospital.
“For asymptomatic covid positive passengers those who can’t pay can be shifted in BKC and Kanjurmarg Jumbo Centers and for those who can pay they can stay in a list of hotels given by the BMC,”said an official from the BMC.
The samples of positive patients will be sent for Genome Sequencing. The BMC official said that the guidelines were modified to conduct more effective checks on the transmission of COVID-19.
Earlier, the BMC had issued guidelines for conducting RT-PCR tests on international travelers arriving from ‘countries at risk’ due to Omicron. Later, UAE was also included in the list under which all passengers were asked to go for mandatory test and seven days home quarantine.
