The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport, Kolkata today announced that all passengers arriving from United Kingdom shall have to undergo 100% Covid tests which include rapid antigen tests and the RT PCR mode of covid test.

The airport authorities said that as per revised guidelines of West Bengal government, “only international passengers arriving by flights from UK to Kolkata Airport shall undergo 100% Covid test (90%RAT and 10% RT-PCR) on arrival. All other guidelines, however, remains the same, as per latest guidelines of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.”

The Union Ministry of Health has laid a general guideline that will come into effect from 14 February. The guidelines for arrival for international passengers include that de-boarding be done ensuring physical distancing while thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the airport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff.

Further, the passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol. The ministry said that the following protocol post arrival shall also be followed: a subsection (2% of the total passengers in the flight) shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival. Such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport.

If such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol. All travellers will self-monitor their health for next 14 days of arrival. The ministry further cautioned that if travellers under self-health monitoring, develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID19, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.

For guidelines before boarding, it said that airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in all the information in the self declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report or Covid -19 vaccination certificate of having completed the primary vaccination schedule. At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after the thermal screening. All passengers shall be advised to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.