Vijayawada: Following the rapid spread of highly infectious Coronavirus new variant Omicron in many countries across the globe, the Andhra Pradesh government is keeping surveillance on all international travellers arriving to the state to check their health status and provide them health care.
With new protocols released by the World Health Organisation, the AP government is keeping an eye on all arrivals of travellers irrespective of the country they are coming back to their home state as the new variant is not confined to only ‘at risk’ nations as presumed earlier.
Accordingly, the health department is getting all data on arrivals of international passengers on the Union ministry of health and family welfare’s web portal Air Suvidha, belonging to Andhra Pradesh district-wise. So far, the state health authorities managed to get details of nearly 8,000 international travellers arriving at parts of AP since November 15. The authorities directed the district medical and health officers to reach out to them and find out their health status.
The health authorities deputed staff in international airports in Chennai,
Bengaluru and Hyderabad to check the health status of international
travellers visiting parts of AP by conducting RT-PCR tests and even if the
test results is Covid negative, the travellers are being advised to stay put
at home quarantine for seven days and again go for RT-PCR test for safety
and to avoid spread of the virus to others.
The state health authorities are also keeping tab on highly vulnerable people like those suffering with multiple health complications, cancer patients, HIV/AIDS patients and people aged above 60 years as their immunity levels are to be relatively low, so that they will not fall victim to the Omicron through their contacts.
As Omicron shows only mild symptoms at present and the presumed third wave
affecting the children appears to be not a real threat for the moment, the state health authorities are strengthening all health and medical infrastructure and gearing up to meet any outbreak of Omicron.
Moreover, the state health authorities are advising the people to maintain Covid appropriate behaviour by wearing face mask, sanitising hands, maintaining social distance and avoiding public gatherings to avoid spread of the new variant of the Coronavirus and also express displeasure over a section of people who are failing to comply with such behaviour despite repeated appeals.
AP health director Dr G. Hymavathi said, “We will keep all international travellers arriving to AP under surveillance to find out whether they are having any health issues so that we can attend to them and avoid spread of new variant of Coronavirus to their contacts. We appeal to all the people to resume Covid appropriate behaviour so that it will help us all to be safe from the Micron and stay healthy.”
