Kerala steps up surveillance at airports over Omicron

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala  Government has stepped up surveillance at the  four international airports in the state following the apprehensions over Covid 19 new variant Omicron.

Health teams have been deployed at the airports who will be coordinating with other departments to screen people arriving from abroad  especially the which have been declared as high risk by the Centre.

Since Kerala has a huge diaspora especially in the Gulf   countries, the government is taking maximum precautionary measures at the airports. The health authorites have been directed to keep close tabs on people  coming  from high risk European countries including UK .

RT PCR tests would be carried out at the airports on people arriving from these countries. They would be kept under special  surveillance.

In the event of RT PCR test report turning negative, they will have to remain under home quarantine for seven days. On the eighth day a repeat test would be carried.

If the report is negative then they will have to remain under home quarantine. On the eighth day they will be subjected to a repeat test. 

Apart from this they will remain under self  quarantine for another sevan days.

The authorities such a stringent precautionary mechanism is needed to prevent the entry of new variant.

Special wards are being readied  in all major government  hospitals including medical college hospitals for isolating and treating people who come with suspected symptoms  of Omicron.

Health Minister Veena George said so far no  case of Omicron  variant  has been  found during the genomic survey which is currently going  on in the Kerala.

In view of the apprehensions over the new variant, the health minister appealed to the people  to comply  strictly with Covid  safety norms including  mandatory wearing of masks, maintaining social distance, vaccination.

Meanwhile, Karnataka government has intensified curbs along the checkposts bordering Kerala. The government has banned the entry of people coming from Kerala  without RT PCR negative certificates. Many vehicles from Kerala including public transport buses were denied entry into Karnataka without Covid negative certificates.

People bound for Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mengaluru were stranded at the checkposts for hours together.