Assam makes testing compulsory for air passengers

Guwahati: The Health and Family Welfare Department of Assam has issued revised standard operating protocol (SOP) for air passengers, making it compulsory to undergo COVID-19 testing at the airport.

The order, effective immediately, makes it mandatory to undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at the airport. No fee is payable by the passengers for RAT.

If a person is positive, they will have to undergo home isolation or get admitted to a private hospital or government health institute.

If a person tests negative, then for a charge of Rs 500, travellers have to undergo a RT-PCR test at the airport.

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If RT-PCR is positive, the passenger will have to undergo home isolation or get admitted to a private or government hospital. And when RT-PCR is negative, the passenger can continue his/her normal activities subject to compliance with COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and norms.

“There will be no exemptions from the above mentioned tests in case of any passenger arriving in Assam and all earlier standard exemptions in this connection are hereby withdrawn,” said the order.

However, residents of the Northeast other than Assam, who are arriving at any airport in Assam from outside and are travelling to any other NE state, or are transit passengers of intra-Assam and inter-Northeast routes, shall be exempted from testing, provided they are asymptomatic.

Such passenger will be required to produce proof of address in the North Eastern States, said the order.