To avoid the risk of the new strain of Covid-19 virus, Omicron, Gujarat Government has made the RT-PCR test mandatory for passengers arriving from 11 regions. Travellers landing in the state from Europe, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong will have to undertake RT-PCR tests over concerns surrounding the new variant.
The World Health Organization confirmed the new ‘B.1.1.529’ strain, initially detected in southern Africa, as a ‘variant of concern’. Named ‘Omicron’, the deadly mutated strain of the novel coronavirus is reportedly immune to the vaccines available in the global market.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also urged the central government to temporarily discontinue flights from countries that are affected by the new variant. Meanwhile, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare added Hong Kong and Israel to the list of countries from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing considering the detection of new COVID variant ‘Omicron’ in South Africa.
