Assam government has issued new guidelines for the air passengers who come from outside the state.
An order has been issued by the principal secretary to the state health department, Samir K Sinha, in pursuance of the conduct of Rapid Point-of-Care (PoC) Antigen Detection Tests for COVID19 in the state, results of which are made available on the spot within one hour.
The order said now the “earlier system of institutional/hotel quarantine is dispensed with in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district in case of air passengers from outside the state”.
“If the Antigen Detection Test of a passenger turns out positive, he/she will proceed to COVID hospital/COVID Care Centre or otherwise,” the order said.
However, if the Antigen Detection Test of a passenger turns out negative, swab sample will sent for RT-PCR COVID19 test also, and he/she will be allowed to directly proceed for 14-day home quarantine, it said.
“However, if any air passenger prefers not to undergo home quarantine for reasons such as inconvenience to other persons staying in his/her home since the entire home will be converted to a containment zone, the district administration will facilitate his/her quarantine in a hotel, subject to the condition that the individual will himself/ herself finalise the rates of accommodation and food, and bear the expenditure,” the order further said.
The order further said in case of air passengers, who arrive at late hours, the district administration will make arrangement for hotel quarantine and bear the expenditure thereof for initial period of 36 hours.
After that “the person will have the option to proceed for home quarantine or continue to remain in hotel quarantine at his/ her expense, for remaining period of 14 days.”