In the wake of COVID-19 variant Omicron getting reported from a few countries, vigil at Cochin International Airport Ltd. (CIAL) has been strengthened to detect and isolate patients.
After a review meeting on the steps being taken, District Collector Jafar Malik on Tuesday said that extensive measures to conduct RT-PCR tests for international passengers arriving at CIAL have been taken. All passengers from the 12 high-risk countries and at least 5% of randomly selected passengers flying in from other countries will have to undergo RT-PCR at the airport itself, with results made available in four hours. A special holding area for passengers awaiting test results has been readied.
For passengers testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, 100 beds have been earmarked at the special COVID care centre at Ambalamugal. Only passengers with RT-PCR negative results are being flown in by international airlines. Inbound passengers from the high-risk countries will have to be in seven-day quarantine at their homes or places of stay even if their RT-PCR results are negative. They are required to take RT-PCR test again after seven days of quarantine.
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Passengers from other countries, too, will be required to be in quarantine for 14 days. Collection of passenger details and sharing the same with COVID monitoring units will be strictly done with the support of National Informatics Centre. Isolation facility for those turning positive will be expanded. Rapid RT-PCR facility has also been readied at CIAL for international passengers arriving at Nedumbassery for onward journey. Paid quarantine facility has been arranged at five hotels.
District Medical Officer Dr. V. Jayashree, National Health Mission district programme officer Dr Sajith John and others took part in the meeting.