RT-PCR -ve report mandatory for int’l travellers at airports

Bhubaneswar: Following the Centre’s guidelines, the state government has made the RT-PCR Covid negative report mandatory at airports for those who are coming from or have passed through China, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea.
“On the direcion of health minister Naba Kisore Das, it was decided to make the RT-PCR negative report obtained before 72 hours mandatory for those coming from or travelled through countries like China, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea at the airports in the state,” Ajit Kumar Mohanty, special secretary, health department said.
In view of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup-2023 as a gathering of international travellers and tourists is expected in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Cuttack, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda, the health and family welfare department has urged such tourists and travellers to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour such as wearing mask and maintaining social distancing among others.
Mohanty said that a study suggested that China would see the peak of Covid-19 cases in the second half of January while India is likely to see a spurt in cases around the second or third week of March, which could be termed as the fourth wave in the country. “However, there is no need to panic since we have developed herd immunity due to mass vaccination,” he said.
About nasal vaccines, which got the approval of the DCGI recently, Mohanty said those who have taken two doses of the vaccine can take the nasal vaccine and those who have taken the two doses along with the booster dose, need not have to take another nasal vaccine dose. “People need to remain careful about taking the doses,” the special secretary said.
He said they have proposed to the Centre to resume the booster dose campaign in the state as still nearly 60 percent of the state’s population is yet to take the third dose or the booster dose. “We have asked for the vaccine supply from the Centre. Once received, we will resume the booster dose campaign drive,” he added.