Dispur makes COVID-19 tests mandatory for air passengers

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: All air passengers arriving in any airport in the State will have to mandatorily undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). Passengers will not have to pay any fee for the RAT.

In partial modification of the earlier Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for persons arriving in the State by air, the State Health & Family Welfare department on Tuesday said that if an air passenger tests COVID-19 positive in RAT, he or she will have to undergo home isolation or get admitted to a private hospital or government health institute.

If an individual tests negative in RAT, then for a charge of Rs 500, he will have to undergo a RT-PCR test at the airport. After the RT-PCR sample is collected, the passenger will be allowed to leave the airport premises on condition that he or she will remain in quarantine till the RT-PCR test results are declared.

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tests in case of any passenger arriving in Assam and all earlier standard exemptions in this connection are hereby withdrawn," said the order.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 passengers will be required to produce proof of address in the north-eastern States, said the order.

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