Guwahati, Dec 6: As the cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 increase in the country, the Assam government has issued fresh guidelines, including mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival for international travellers.
The Himanta Biswa-led Assam administration released the fresh standard operating procedure (SOP) amid the cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 increase that mandates 7-day home quarantine compulsory for those who test negative for the COVID infection.
Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said that the fresh SOP was formulated on the guidelines released by the central government.
Sharing details of the new SOP, the state health minister said that all international travellers arriving in Assam will have to undergo a compulsory RT-PCR test for COVID-19. The children below five years of age have been exempted.
However, if any child below five years of age coming from any foreign country is found to have symptoms of the deadly contagious virus, a test will have to be conducted.
The travellers who would test positive for coronavirus infection will have to adhere to the rules formulated by the Assam government and their samples would be sent for genome sequencing to determine the COVID variant, Mahanta further informed.
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The statement issued by the Assam government said that the international travellers, who test negative on arrival, will compulsorily have to undergo seven-day home quarantine.
The district authorities will keep a close watch on the international travellers and ensure that they follow all the protocols.
People who wish to travel out of or come into Assam will have to upload a self-declaration form on the “Air Suvidha” portal before the scheduled journey.
According to the statement, the people will have to submit travel details for the last 14-days and their negative RT-PCR report, not older than 72 hours. If any person is found to submit wrong information, he/she will be liable for criminal prosecution.
The travellers have been asked to give an undertaking that they would adhere to all the guidelines issued by the Assam government in regards to COVID. The undertaking would have to be given on the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s portal through airlines before undertaking the journey.
