Delhi airport likely to have COVID-19 testing facility for international arrivals

Delhi airport is likely to have a COVID-19 testing facility for international passengers who if tested negative will get an exemption from seven-day mandatory institutional quarantine, said senior government officials on Tuesday.

As per Union health ministry, passengers arriving from abroad have to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine followed by seven days of home quarantine.

" government is considering establishing a COVID-19 testing facility at Delhi airport. It takes around eight hours to get results, which means international passenger will have to remain at airport premises for that duration," said a government official.

If test result is negative, passenger will t be required to undergo institutional quarantine, official added.

Post August 8, if an international passenger has a COVID-negative certificate from a test done 96 hours prior to journey, he or she can avoid seven-day institutional quarantine in India.

" testing facility at Delhi airport would be for those international passengers who do t have such a COVID-negative certificate and still want to avoid institutional quarantine," said ar government official.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23 amid coronavirus pandemic.

However, special repatriation flights and international charter flights have been permitted by aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Moreover, since July, India has formed separate bilateral air bubbles with countries like US, UAE, France and Germany under which airlines of both countries are allowed to operate international flights with certain restrictions.

Since August 8, a total of five categories of passengers are exempted from mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine -- pregnant women; those who have suffered death in family; those suffering from serious illness; parents accompanying children below 10 years of ; those who have COVID-negative certificate from a test done 96 hours prior to journey.

aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to travel restrictions imposed in India and or countries in view of coronavirus pandemic.

All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, leave-without-pay and firings of employees in order to conserve cash.

India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to coronavirus pandemic. airlines have been allowed to operate only a maximum of 45 per cent of ir pre-COVID domestic flights.

However, occupancy rate in Indian domestic flights has been around just 50-60 per cent since May 25. 

Im credits: PTI