Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya takes stock of COVID protocol at Delhi IGI Airport

Government is on alert mode after COVID's BF.7 variant is the reason for high cases across major countries like US, China. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today reviewed arrangements for the screening and testing of international passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.

Health Minister visited the Airport Health Organization office and also reviewed the RT-PCR testing mechanism and the Air Suvidha portal. He directed officials to gear up and urged people to follow COVID Appropriate Behaviour.

Mansukh Mandaviya further alerted officials to remain alert against emerging strains of COVID.

Union Health Ministry issued the revised guidelines for international passengers travelling to India on December 29, 2023. According to the guidelines, 2 percent of random passengers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand are being tested at airports across India.

Passengers arriving from these 6 high-risk countries are also mandatorily required to upload negative RT-PCR test reports in the Air Suvidha portal within 72 hours of undertaking the journey to India.

Earlier in the day the Health Ministry also clarified that even those passengers that are in transit from these high risk countries are also required to follow the protocol.

India Today reported 173 new Covid cases, and 207 recoveries in the morning. There are 2,670 active Covid cases in India. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is taking stock of the Covid situation closely, with several meetings held in the last week.

Apart from meeting State Health Ministers, Mandaviya also held a  meeting with Indian Medical Association and pharmaceutical manufacturers to review the availability of medicines and vaccine stocks in the country.