MADURAI
After three air passengers tested positive on Thursday, Madurai district administration changed the strategy and started conducting swab test on all inter-State passengers, irrespective of the districts they are headed to.
Till Thursday, swab test was conducted only on the inter-State passengers who were bound to Madurai district. They were kept in facility quarantine till the test results were out. The inter-State passengers who were proceeding to other districts were cross-notified to the respective districts and allowed to proceed to their districts.
“On Friday, we started testing all inter-State passengers even if they are from other districts,” said Madurai Collector T.G. Vinay.
Stating that in a few cases there was a delay in taking swabs when the passengers reached other districts, Dr. Vinay said that the swab test was now done on all passengers in Madurai to avoid delay.
“The result of the test would be intimated to the passenger and the respective district administration,” he said. The district administrations and health officials could take further action based on the results, he added.
Stating that since the number of inter-State passengers coming to Madurai airport was relatively small, Madurai district administration was able to conduct the swab test on all inter-State passengers.
Meanwhile, sources at Madurai airport said that some of the inter-State passengers were not willing to undergo the two-day facility quarantine as mandated by the district administration. “Some of them were complaining that they were unaware of this rule,” an official said.
However, the Collector said that the standard operating procedure was followed and every passenger had to follow the rules. “A very few are creating a scene at the airport, while a vast majority are cooperating,” he added.
Stating that in one of the cases, a woman passenger who refused to cooperate in this regard at Bengaluru airport was sent back to Delhi, Dr. Vinay said that those passengers who refused to abide by rules would have to go back.
No relaxation could be given for passengers for their ignorance of law, he added.
