RT-PCR Test On Arrival Becomes Mandatory For Those Coming From China, Other COVID Hotspots
The Union Health Ministry has made RT-PCR tests mandatory for passengers coming from five countries, including China.
"The RT-PCR test to be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19 infection, then he/she will be put under quarantine," Health Minister Mandaviya told ANI.
RT-PCR mandatory?for five countries, random test for others??
He also said that the Air Suvidha form filling to declare the current health status will also be made compulsory for international passengers arriving from these Asian countries.
Earlier, amid reports of an increase in new COVID-19 cases in China and other countries, India had decided to conduct random RTPCR tests at airports on those coming from abroad.
201 new COVID-19 cases in India
Meanwhile, India recorded 201 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday in the last 24 hours.
India's active caseload currently stands at 3,397, which accounts for 0.01 per cent of the total cases.
The recovery rate currently is at 98.8 per cent. As many as 183 recoveries were made in the last 24 hours, thereby taking the total recoveries to 4,41,42,791.
The daily positivity rate stood at 0.15 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate stood at 0.14 per cent.
What is BF.7?
With the Omicron sub-variant BF.7 causing unprecedented levels of infections in China, India also has concerns about a possible new wave of COVID-19.
BF.7 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5 and has the most potent infection ability since it is highly transmissible. It has a shorter incubation period and has a higher capacity to cause reinfection or infect even those vaccinated.
India won't be affected like China
However, health experts have said that BF.7 is unlikely to cause a China-like COVID-19 surge in India.
They also said that a fresh outbreak of severe COVID cases and hospitalisation is unlikely as people in India have the advantage of 'hybrid immunity,' i.e. natural immunity due to infection reinforced by vaccination.
"Overall, there is no increase in COVID caseload and India currently is in a comfortable situation. Under present circumstances, there is no need to restrict international flights or impose a lockdown," Dr Randeep Guleria, a former AIIMS director, told PTI.
Past experiences show that banning flights is ineffective in halting the transmission of infection, he said. "Moreover, data suggests that the Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which is driving the surge in China, has already been found in our country."
Dr Neeraj Gupta, a professor in the Department of Pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Safdarjung Hospital, said India needs to exercise caution given the surge of COVID-19 cases in China and some other countries but a "lockdown-like situation is not envisaged in near future given the current India scenario".
"Covid-appropriate behaviour needs to be reinforced since complacency has crept in because of very low number of Covid positive cases. We cannot be slack given the global scenario since the pandemic is still not over," he said.
He added 'hybrid immunity' makes a person more secure against future infections with morbidity/mortality benefits.
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