Omicron scare: Passengers from countries 'at risk' being tested at Amritsar airport

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 2

In the wake of threat from the new Covid variant — Omicron, the authorities at Shri Guru Ram Das Jee International (SGRDJI) Airport have initiated rapid PCR test for passengers arriving from countries at risk.

The airport and state authorities engaged some private agencies to conduct the rapid PCR with accula technique, which can test 40 passengers in an hour. The authorities claimed that all passengers arriving from Rome and UK (Birmingham and London) are being tested at the airport.

VK Seth, director, Shri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, said: “Following the directions of the government, we have initiated testing of passengers arriving from three destinations. We also conducting rapid PCR test of those passengers, who have a travel history in countries at risk in the last 45 days. In case someone tests positive, we will immediately inform the state authorities to quarantine the passenger. No passenger has tested positive so far.”

The airport authorities and district administration had a meeting on the arrangement on Tuesday evening. The district administration have arranged private laboratories for rapid PCR test to save the time of passengers at the airport. The rapid PCR test report prepares within five hours and the passengers are allowed to leave after getting a negative report. Generally, passengers will have to stay at the airport for six hours to get the report.

Apart from this, the airport authorities conduct random RT-PCR test for passengers arriving from those countries where Omicron cases are not reported. The passengers arriving from countries at Omicron risk are being asked to go for home quarantine for seven days on the directions of state government.

Two test +ve in district

Amritsar: With two positive cases, the district Covid tally increased to 47,432 on Thursday. The district, at present, has a total of eight active cases. Meanwhile, a total of 10,009 residents were inoculated during the ongoing vaccination drive on Thursday. Of these, 3,711 residents received the first dose of the vaccine, while 6,298 received the second dose. TNS