Covid-19: Covid RT-PCR test is mandatory for transit passengers from these 6 countries 72 hours before boarding at the airport

India has made the RT-PCR test mandatory for transit international passengers from 6 countries. The Health Ministry on Monday (January 2) said that it will be mandatory for transit passengers from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, and Japan to upload a Covid RT-PCR negative report 72 hours before boarding. Earlier it was mandatory only for passengers coming from these 6 countries.

The Health Ministry said the pre-boarding RT-PCR test (72 hours before commencement of travel) is mandatory for passengers on all international flights from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, and Japan. This rule will also apply to transit passengers. India has taken this step at a time when China is dealing with its worst Covid outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic.

Outcry in China increased vigilance in India

Last month, a report said that by December 20, about 20 percent of the population in China had been hit by the virus. Amid an epidemic in China, many videos of crowded hospitals and piles of dead bodies in mortuaries are going viral on social media. China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Singapore are the countries for which new rules have been announced for international travelers in India. The RT-PCR test is considered the most reliable for testing the virus.

The Center gave instructions to the states

The number of daily cases of Covid in India remains low. Last month, ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Center reminded states to ensure wearing masks in crowded places and follow Covid protocols. The central government also stressed the need to ensure the availability of medical oxygen.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting last month where he stressed that Covid is not over yet. He also urged caution in his monthly radio address "Mann Ki Baat". Meanwhile, a mock drill was conducted in hospitals across the country last week to review the preparedness.

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