The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday issued a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for passengers arriving from the United Kingdom (United Kingdom) amid the detection of a new variant of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid- 19) there. On Monday, the Center had announced a temporary ban on flights from the UK to India, which would continue until December 31.
Several other countries have also announced travel bans to and from the UK in order to prevent the spread of the new variant (B117), which is said to be 70% more transmissible, according to estimates from the European Center for Control. of Diseases.
According to the SOPs issued by the health ministry, all international travelers must declare their travel history for the last 14 days and complete a self-declaration form to be evaluated for Covid-19.
Regarding those coming from the UK, the ministry’s guidelines say state governments must ensure that passengers undergo reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests upon arrival, and if From a positive sample, it is recommended that base RT-PCR tests should be performed.
Passengers who test positive will be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate isolation unit coordinated by the respective state health authorities, the ministry added.
Passengers who test negative by the RT-PCR method will be notified in home quarantine. Interested airlines have been asked to ensure that SOPs are explained to the traveler prior to check-in and in-flight announcements should be made explaining all relevant information to passengers, per the guidelines.
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The ministry added that UK passengers who arrived in India between November 25 and December 8, 2020, would be contacted by district surveillance officers and advised to self-monitor their health.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) previously said that the reproduction of the new Covid-19 variant has increased from 1.1 to 1.5 and that people can protect themselves by following the regular protocol, which is social distancing, the use of face masks / coverings and hand washing. . Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said the organization was closely monitoring the spread of the new variant and would “convene member states to discuss strategies for testing, reducing transmission and communicating risks,” without specify a term.
The UK has recorded more than 2 million Covid-19 cases so far, of which 67,616 have died.
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