COVID-19 Omicron variant: Rapid PCR test rates now cheaper at Mumbai airport for international flyers

Mumbai International Airport (Representative Image)

Amid the Omicron variant scare, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai on December 4 revised the rates of Rapid PCR test from Rs 4,500 to Rs 3,900 for international passengers arriving in India.

Apart from this, the CSMIA also informed that the normal RT-PCR test is going to cost Rs 600 to passengers. The international airport authorities have set up 100 registration counters and 60 sampling booths including 100 Rapid PCR machines.

Disclosing the details, CSMIA said that a total of 6,732 international arrival passengers from at-risk and other countries had successfully completed their arrival procedures on December 3. Also, a total of 969 international arrival passengers underwent RT-PCR test of which 214 passengers took the standard RT-PCR test and 755 passengers opted for Rapid PCR test, CSMIA said in an official statement.

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Among other things, the CSMIA issued a set of guidelines for international passengers arriving in India.

Here are the guidelines:

1) Passengers arriving from countries identified by Indian government as 'countries at risk' such as Europe including United Kingdom, South Africa,
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Brazil, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel will be deboarded on priority.

2) Passengers arriving or visiting any of these 3 countries in the last 15 days -- South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe -- will undergo mandatory institutional quarantine for seven days after giving their RT-PCR test at CSMIA.

3) These passengers will also undergo a second RT-PCR test on the seventh day, and if any of the RT-PCR test is found to be positive, then such passenger will be shifted to a Hospital with COVID-19 treatment facilities by MCGM or state authorities. If the result is negative, they will have to undergo a further 7 days of home quarantine.

4) For passengers arriving from Europe including the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong & Israel, they will have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival, and are required to wait for their test results before leaving or taking a connecting flight. If the results are positive, they will be shifted to a designated isolation facility by either MCGM or state authorities.

5) While travellers from countries excluding those 'countries at risk' are allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days’ post arrival.

6) Children under five years of age are exempted from both pre and post-arrival testing.

7) For domestic arriving passengers, they need to be double-vaccinated or must carry a negative RT-PCR test carried out within 72 hours before boarding.

8) Lastly, the CSMIA informed that they are sanitising the airport premises at regular intervals where testing and seating arrangement has been
made for passengers at arrivals.

Earlier on December 2, two cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus had been detected from Karnataka, with the patients being identified as 66-year-old and 46-year-old males. All their primary and secondary contacts have been traced and are being tested. Both the patients were diagnosed with "mild symptoms", and "all their contacts have been identified and they are under monitoring”, said the government.