India sets fresh rules for air travel to tackle virus variants
Taking in view the emergence of new mutant strains of novel coronavirus in many countries, India has drated a fresh set of rules to guide international travellers arriving in India from Feb.23 onwards. The new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) will come into effect from 23.59 hours on Feb.22 till further orders.
The move is taken in the context of increasing evidence that the mutant variants of SARS-COV-2 are in circulation in many countries while driving the pandemic in their country of origin.
So far, the three SARS-COV-2 variants in circulation UK variant, South Africa and Brazil variant — have been detected in 86, 44 and 15 countries, respectively.
The fresh guidelines are applicable on all international travellers coming/transiting through flights originating from the United Kingdom, Europe and Middle East.
As part of the new set of guidelines issued by the civil aviation ministry, all international travellers except the ones coming on flights originating from the UK, Europe and Middle East will have to submit a self-declaration form on Air Suvidha portal before their scheduled travel.
International passengers will also have to upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report with exception of those travelling to India in the exigency of death in the family.
The test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to the journey and each passenger will also have to submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report.
All travellers arriving from/transiting through flights originating in the United Kingdom, Europe or Middle East shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival at the Indian airports concerned (port of entry).
Airlines should identify the international travellers arriving from/transiting through the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa (during past 14 days) and segregate them in-flight or while disembarking to facilitate the authorities to follow the due protocol in respect of these travellers.
The state-wise passenger manifest of the flights originating from Europe and Middle East and landing at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai airports in India for the said period shall be conveyed by the Bureau of Immigration to State Government/integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) announced that it conducted 171,667 additional COVID-19 tests and detected 3,294 new coronavirus cases. The MOHAP also announced 18 deaths due to COVID-19 complications.
It also noted that an additional 3,431 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19.
The Ministry announced that 89,324 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the past 24 hours.
The total number of doses provided up to Thursdaystands at 5,373,730 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 54.33 doses per 100 people.
Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has approved importing and using the Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 Vaccine.
The SFDA’S approval was based on received data, which have been reviewed in all their details according to an accurate scientific method.
Accordingly, health authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will start procedures for using the vaccine in accordance with relevant standards and requirements.
The SFDA will analyse samples from each incoming vaccine shipment before using it.
The World Health Organisation on Thursday urged COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to make good on their commitments as the planet’s poorest countries await their first doses.
Pakistan said on Thursday it expects to receive 2.8 million doses of Astrazeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine on March 2, its first batch under the GAVI/ WHO COVAX vaccine initiative, and will start giving doses to the over 60s.
Pakistan, which has recorded more than 550,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 12,000 deaths, is still largely reliant on the GAVI/WHO COVAX initiative, which aims to supply COVID-19 vaccines to poorer nations. The country began its COVID-19 vaccination programme only this month, with 500,000 doses of Sinopharm’s vaccine donated by long-time ally China.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Covax facility — the global COVID-19 vaccine procurement and distribution effort ensuring poorer countries can access doses - was now ready to begin.
SOPS will come into effect from 11.59pm on Feb.22 till further orders; UAE reports 3,294 new cases, 3,431 recoveries and 18 deaths; Saudi approves Astrazeneca vaccine.