India to reintroduce airport surveillance measures against COVID-19

India will conduct thermal screening at its international airports of all arriving passengers from abroad with effect from 10:00 am local time (8:30 am UAE time) on 24th December.

As concerns about a global spurt in COVID-19 cases mount, India will also randomly test two percent of all international arrivals for coronavirus infections.

This was announced by India’s Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the COVID-19 situation in the country.

“The meeting reviewed preparedness of health infrastructure and logistics, status of the vaccination campaign in the country, the emergence of new COVID-19 variants and their public health implications for the country,” an official readout of the meeting said. “This high-level review meeting comes in the backdrop of a spike in COVID-19 cases in some countries.”

Modi reiterated that the pandemic is not over yet and directed officials to strengthen the ongoing surveillance measures, especially at the international airports. “The Prime Minister cautioned against complacency and advised strict vigil,” the readout added.

Meanwhile, one of India's biggest tourist attractions, the Taj Mahal, will now demand that visitors produce a negative RT-PCR test result before they enter the mausoleum complex.

The Prime Minister was briefed during today’s meeting that India has seen a steady decline in COVID-19 infections down to an average of 153 daily cases and a low weekly positivity of 0.14 percent until 22nd December.

However, a spurt in daily average of 590,000 cases globally in the last six weeks has been causing concern here. There is also worry here of an increase in infections during the upcoming Christmas festival season and the New Year.

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