Stricter Covid-19 testing for tourists

Concerns about the new Coronavirus variant have been expressed even as India prepares to resume international scheduled flights from December 15

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With new Covid variants coming up — the Indian Federal Health Ministry has pointed out that the new variant, identified as B.1.1.529, had “serious public health implications” — an advisory has been sent out to all states to rigorously test and screen international travellers from South Africa and other “at risk” countries. Concerns about the new Coronavirus variant have been expressed even as India prepares to resume international scheduled flights from December 15.

The Indian Health Ministry said that the reports of mutations in the new variant, B.1.1.529, had public health implications. “This variant is reported to have a significantly high number of mutations, and thus, has serious public health implications for the country in view of recently relaxed visa restrictions and opening up of international travel,” said Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to states on November 25.

Though some major Asian countries have tightened border controls and put a restriction on travellers, India had not issued any notification. “This has not been studied fully by Ministry of Health,” Reuters was told by a government source.  In fact, the Indian Health and External Affairs Ministries did not reply to a Reuters request for comment on whether India would ban foreign travellers.

Some time ago, India had, in fact, identified 10 countries that were “at risk”: Europe, Britain, China, South Africa, and New Zealand, among others. This is amidst opening of borders to 99 countries

Britain has banned flights from six African countries, and asked returning British travellers from those destinations to quarantine. India, the world’s second-worst affected country by Covid-19, posted the smallest rise in new cases this week, due to rising vaccinations and antibodies in a large section of its population from previous infections.

Some time ago, India had, in fact, identified 10 countries that were “at risk”: Europe, Britain, China, South Africa, and New Zealand, among others. This is amidst opening of borders to 99 countries.

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