The Andhra Pradesh Government, on the 22nd of December, issued orders to conduct Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test for COVID-19 infection, subjected to travelers coming from the United Kingdom (U.K.)
Passengers travelling directly from the U.K., through connecting flights and those entering India from other means of transport would be screened and tested.
According to the orders, those who test COVID-19 negative would be cleared but need to be isolated for 14 days.
K. Bhaskar, the Commissioner for Health and Family Welfare in India, issued the orders to collectors and Superintendents of Police (SPs) regarding the same.
Mr. Bhaskar asked the collectors and SPs to keep a track of those coming from abroad and take preventive measures to curb the spread of the new strain of the Novel Coronavirus if any.
Meanwhile, on the 22nd of December, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh conducted a review meeting.
During the meeting Mr. Reddy said, “We should be cautious to ensure that no new strain affects citizens adversely.”
As per the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party’s strategy, surveillance teams would monitor those who test COVID-19 negative in RT-PCR test and are under mandatory home isolation.
The team would also ensure to follow up the RT-PCR test after seven days of disembarkation.
In case, any one develops symptoms before completion of seven days, he or she would be shifted to a hospital for a test immediately.
Another team, field surveillance team comprising a medical officer and an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) would visit the international travellers on a daily basis and would update status on the home quarantine app.
In a situation where the new strain has been found, the Andhra Pradesh Government alerted concerned officials to be cautious with international travelers.
The State Government decided to keep monitoring closely on both the positive and negative cases.
In this backdrop, the State Health Authority suggested resuming screening of air passengers like it was initially, when COVID-19 broke out in India.
Meanwhile, post the lockdown, the number of passengers arriving at the Visakhapatnam Airport increased.
The passenger arrivals were 1.40 lakhs in November and 1.60 lakhs in December.
M. Raj Kishore, the Visakhapatnam Airport Director said, “We are ready to facilitate screening of passengers for COVID-19 if asked to do so in the wake of finding a new strain of virus in the U.K.”
Discovered in the U.K., the mutant variant of COVID-19, created panic among other countries.
However, the Indian Government assured no traces of the new strain of COVID-19, respective state and union territory governments are taking every possible precaution to avoid the new strain in India.
Stay tuned for further updates.
