T.N. to intensify screening at airports

Move follows alert on new COVID-19 variant

With the Union Health Ministry issuing an alert on the risk posed by a COVID-19 variant, first detected in South Africa, the State’s Health Department has decided to intensify screening at airports.

Health Minister Ma. Subramanian told reporters on Friday that based on the directive from the Union Ministry, the Health Secretary had issued instructions to all Collectors. “The Union Health Ministry had laid down guidelines on the testing of travellers from certain countries and COVID-19 protocols. We will intensify the measures and screen travellers from countries such as South Africa and Hong Kong and follow guidelines, including for quarantine,” he said.

Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan added that Tamil Nadu was the first to make RT-PCR negative reports mandatory for travellers from any country. “For some countries, we brought in testing on arrival. This already includes travellers from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong. As per the directive on testing travellers transiting through these countries, we will tighten RT-PCR testing through the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine,” he said.