As global worry grows over the new Covid variant Omicron, the Gujarat government today mandated RT-PCR testing for passengers arriving at the airport from a variety of nations, including South Africa.
Passengers travelling from Europe, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe will be subject to mandatory Covid testing, according to authorities.
The new strain, which was first detected in South Africa, has prompted numerous governments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, to issue travel prohibitions against multiple southern African countries where the variant may be spreading.
Omicron, which has been found in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel, and Belgium, has been highlighted for a variety of changes that could make it more vaccine resistant, more likely to spread, and cause more severe symptoms.
According to scientists, the new strain is likely to be significantly more contagious than the Delta variation, which is the “most highly modified” coronavirus found to date.
In view of the increased Covid concern sweeping the globe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting a meeting on COVID-19 and the country’s immunisation situation, which will be addressed by top officials.