Jammu Airport tightens COVID norms, RT-PCR test mandatory for unvaccinated travellers

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 8 (ANI): The Jammu Airport officials have intensified testing of the unvaccinated travellers including the Vaishno Devi pilgrims in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases in the state.
"Travellers are allowed to leave the airport only if they're fully vaccinated, otherwise, everyone, including the Vaishno Devi pilgrims have to get tested," says Sanjeev Kumar Garg, Jammu Airport Director on Saturday. Besides this, all the international travellers are going through RT-PCR, informed the Jammu Airport Director.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar Garg said that the vaccination certificates of all travellers are being checked.
Dr Mohit Kapoor Nodal Officer for COVID-19 testing at the Airport said that regular testing is done following the Government Guidelines." In cases, passenger tests positive on arrival we are sending them to DRDO hospital", added Kapoor. He further informed that at present there is 50 per RTPCR and 50 per cent Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). "In case of a person without a vaccination certificate, we are doing RTPCR and RAT both. Approximately 200 to 250 tests are done every day", Dr Kapoor added.
Stanzin, a passenger who lauded the effort taken by the airport authority, said, "This is a good step as testing is important to control the spread of COVID-19."
Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday reviewed COVID-19 pandemic preparedness in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and advised the setting up of a Dashboard as well as a public helpline in order to build up the confidence of the common masses.

The high-level online meeting connected different districts ranging from Jammu to Srinagar as well as the two divisional headquarters of Kashmir and Jammu respectively.

Jitendra Singh advised setting up of at least one Dashboard each in the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir respectively for real-time information, which could be shared and could also offer regular inputs for follow up.(ANI)