Omicron variant: These Indian states have made negative COVID tests must for travellers

The Centre has directed states to conduct vigorous screening of international travellers at airports.

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New Delhi: As the new ‘Omicron’ variant of the coronavirus spreads its wings triggering fresh travel restrictions across the globe, Indian states have also been directed to take rigorous steps to prevent the entry of the new strain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (November 27) chaired a meeting with top health officials to review the threat of the new variant and necessary measures to be taken.

Soon after Modi’s meeting, several states have ramped up restrictions and permission for international as well domestic travellers. One of these measures is to produce a negative RT-PCR COVID report upon arrival.

Here’s a list of Indian states that have mandated negative COVID-19 tests for travels amid Omicron fears.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra, which was one of India’s worst COVID states, has mandated negative RT-PCR testing or full vaccination proof for domestic travellers on Saturday.

Karnataka

Karnataka, which is reporting transmission of coronavirus, has mandated negative RT-PCR tests on arrival for travellers from Kerala and Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, the state has also made it mandatory for international travellers from southern African countries to undergo a COVID test and quarantine for seven days.

Gujarat

The Gujarat government has also mandated negative RT-PCR tests for travellers from Europe, the UK, Brazil, South Africa, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong in view of the rising threat of omicron variant.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a turn for the worse with the emergence of the new and highly mutating ‘Omicron’ variant of the coronavirus. The variant was first detected in South Africa with the scientific name B.1.1.529.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday convened a meeting to access the current situation and spread of the variant and classified the strain as ‘variant of concern’.