Omicron scare: DDMA issues orders to battle with COVID-19 at Delhi airport
Nov 30, 2021
New Delhi [India], December 1 : In view of the seriousness of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority has issued an order regarding passengers coming from abroad at Delhi Airport.
It has been said in this order that the guidelines issued by the central government regarding Omicron should be strictly followed. At the same time, through another order, the Delhi government has imposed duty of Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and additional district magistrates (ADMs) of different districts at the airport.
According to the order issued by DDMA, airlines will inform passengers coming from "at-risk" category countries that they will be tested for COVID-19 after landing at Delhi. If tested positive for the virus, they will be kept in strict isolation and their sample will be sent for genome sequencing. Such passengers will be kept in a separate isolation facility. For this, a dedicated ward of 40 beds has been made in Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital in Delhi.
If the passenger's test report comes negative, then they will be home quarantined for seven days and will be tested again on the eighth day. If the report comes back negative again, they will be asked to self-monitor for seven days. The cost of the test will have to be borne by the passenger only.
There will be no such restriction on the passengers who are not coming from "at-risk" category countries, coming from any other countries. But they will be advised self monitor for 14 days.
However, random testing will be done at the airport itself for 5 per cent of the total such passengers. The Ministry of Civil Aviation will bear the cost of testing such passengers and their samples will also be sent for genome sequencing. Of such passengers, children below 5 years will be exempted from testing. However, if a child looks symptomatic, then he will be tested. This order of DDMA will be applicable from December 1 until further orders.
The countries in the 'at-risk' category are European countries, which includes the United Kingdom, besides South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.
In view of the seriousness of Omicron, the Delhi Government has imposed the duty of additional district magistrates (ADMs) and SDMs of different districts at the airport to strictly implement the order of DDMA. According to this order, from 1 December 2021 to May 15 2022, the ADM and SDM of different districts along with the supporting staff will give duty at the airport on the day-night shift.
