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New US Covid-19 international travel testing rules take effect Monday

New rules requiring international air travellers arriving in the United States to obtain a negative Covid-19 test within one day of travel will take effect Monday at 12:01 am ET (0501 GMT), according to an order issued late Thursday. Under current rules, vaccinated international air travellers can present a negative test result obtained within three days of their day of departure. Unvaccinated travellers currently must get a negative Covid-19 test within one day of departure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky's order says the agency "must take quick and targeted action to help curtail the introduction and spread of the Omicron variant into the United States." The CDC said beginning Monday "all air travellers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, will be required to show a negative pre-departure Covid-19 viral test taken the day before they board their flight to the United States." The tighter testing timeline "provides an added degree of public health protection as scientists continue to assess the Omicron variant," the White House said in a factsheet released Thursday. The CDC order noted the Omicron variant has been found in 23 countries. The order didn't require Covid-19 testing requirements for international travellers crossing US land borders with Canada or Mexico. CDC's order said it "may exercise its enforcement discretion to adjust the scope of accepted predeparture testing requirements to allow passengers and airline and aircraft operators greater flexibility regarding the requirements." The CDC is expected to give airlines a three-day grace period to allow for some travellers to return to the United States with tests taken outside of the oneday window, sources told Reuters. The administration is considering whether to grant temporary exemptions for about two dozen countries where access to same-day testing is limited, but the details are still being finalised, the sources added. Those exemptions could last for only about a week and are expected to be detailed on Friday. On Monday, the White House said it would bar nearly all foreign nationals from entering the United States from eight Southern African countries over fears of the spread of the Omicron variant, but has not extended those travel restrictions to other countries where the new variant has been discovered. The US top infectious disease official Anthony Fauci said Wednesday he viewed the restrictions on the eight countries as a "temporary measure." White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Thursday she would not "expect the lifting of restrictions before we know more about the variant. We will continue to evaluate if additional restrictions need to be put in place."

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New travel guidelines by Jammu and Kashmir for passengers from at-risk countries

Jammu and Kashmir received 1.27 lakh tourists in November, and 97000 tourists in October, highest in the last seven years. Now the Union Territory has announced a travel advisory for international tourists coming in from at-risk countries. According to the new guidelines, those travellers who test negative at the Srinagar airport, will have to go under home quarantine. According to the travel advisory, this home quarantine will last for seven days, with a follow up covid negative test after the eight day. Travellers have also been advised to monitor themselves for at least two weeks. Since the outbreak of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to apply the rule of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate in order to ensure stringent implementation of containment measures. Furthermore, travellers who test positive for the virus, will be sent to an institutional quarantine, and receive treatment. The official guidelines said that, "Rigorous screening and conducting of Covid-19 RT-PCR test shall be made mandatory at the Srinagar International Airport for International Arrivals as per the guidelines issued from time to time by MoHFW." The Union Territory conducted RT-PCR test for 16000 passengers from at-risk countries on Friday, and a total of 18 samples have been sent for genome sequencing to check whether they are of the Omicron variant.

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WHO says that vaccination is the key to battle Omicron, not travel restrictions

Amidst the world-wide scare of the Omicron virus, the World Health Organisation has a suggestion. While countries across the world are restricting travel once again, and making it hard for passengers from the at-risk countries to travel, WHO says a travel ban is not the solution. The UN’s top health body says that vaccination is the only answer for the new variant. In this situation of uncertainty, Australia is the first country to have reported community transmission of the new Omicron variant. Currently, the virus has spread to Africa, Asia, the Americas, Middle East, and Europe. WHO’s Western Pacific Director, Takeshi Kashai said at a media briefing, "Border controls can buy time but every country and every community must prepare for new surges in cases." He further said that people should not rely on border measures. He said that it is most important to prepare for these variants with potential high transmissibility, and so far the evidence available suggests that there is no need to change the current approach. Scientists are still trying to figure out the ramifications of the Omicron virus, and gathering data to understand how severe and contagious it is. Vaccination rates in poorer parts of the world are relatively low compared to other countries. However, the rate of vaccination certainly varies from country to country. The Omicron virus has been named as a variant of concern by the WHO, and countries are quickly taking steps by controlling the inflow of tourists at their borders.

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Omicron: Bengaluru updates travel rules for visitors from not 'at risk' nations

In line with the fresh norms following the Omicron variant scare, the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru on Saturday said two per cent of the passengers coming from countries, which are not in the 'at risk' category, will undergo random testing on arrival at the airport. In a tweet, the BIAL, which manages the airport, said, "As per the international travel guidelines, 2% of the passengers coming from countries that are not in the 'at-risk' list shall undergo random testing at the Airport on arrival. The cost of random testing of such passengers will be borne by BIAL." Amid the Omicron variant scare, the Government of India issued a new set of guidelines on November 30. It said that travellers from countries excluding those countries at risk will be allowed to leave the airport and should self-monitor their health for 14 days post arrival. A sub-section or two per cent of the total flight passengers should undergo post-arrival testing at random at the airport on arrival. The two per cent of such travellers in each flight should be identified by the concerned airlines, preferably from different countries, and such travellers should be escorted by the airlines or Ministry of Civil Aviation to testing area on arrival. The cost of testing of such travellers shall be borne by the travellers identified for random testing themselves. The Government of India has also made a self-declaration mandatory for the passengers before scheduled travel including 14 days of travel details. Passengers originating or transiting from 'at risk' countries should be informed by the airlines that they will undergo post arrival testing, quarantine if found infected, stringent isolation protocols if tested positive, the GOI order said. It added that the passengers found symptomatic during screening will be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol.

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Irrespective of Covid, tourists should visit destinations: Kishan Reddy

Irrespective of whether the third Covid wave hits Goa or not, people should travel to tourism destinations, attend meetings and festivals by following necessary Covid protocols, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference here, Reddy also said that the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid, could prove to be a dampener to the movement of international tourist footfalls to India. "The tourism sector not just in India, but across the world was affected. Domestic tourism is picking up now and people are travelling to destinations in a big number. But today, there is debate about the third wave," Reddy told media-persons. "But I urge the people, whether the third wave hits or not, everyone should follow Corona protocol and travel to tourist destinations. People should follow their itinerary. State governments have also taken their own decisions with regard to following protocols," he also said. Commenting on the immediate future of the charter tourism flights to Goa, which had recently been allowed by the Union Home Ministry, Reddy said that the emergence of Omicron globally could prove to be a dampener. "We have made a decision and we have met tour operators from different countries in Delhi. We had opened charter flights, but because of the new variant, countries have imposed restrictions on tour operators, therefore a problem has cropped up again," he said. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that international cruise tourism should be pursued on a mission mode and said that his Ministry was working with the Union Ministry of Shipping to further the Prime Minister's agenda. "Cruise tourism is a part of the Sagarmala initiative, our shipping ministry is encouraging it. In the coming days cruise tourism development will be taken up on a mission mode, as per directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said, adding that officials of his Ministry would be meeting with their counterparts in the Shipping Ministry to work out an action plan to start cruise terminals across India's coastline. Reddy also said that Goa would stand to benefit from the Central government's international cruise terminal initiative. "If cruise tourism is developed in Goa the largest amount of benefit will be accrued to Goa. Andaman, Vishakhapatanam, Chennai all these destinations can be connected to Goa. Passenger terminals will be developed in ports and the Tourism Ministry has given the shipping department money to develop the same," he said. Reddy, who also said that Goa would stand to benefit by developing heli-taxis, helicopter taxis, which he said had worked well as a concept in the North Eastern states. "In the northeast, we have developed heli-taxis in many places. It can be done here too. Goa is a tourism destination, it should have a helipad... We also do gap funding for helicopter taxis to control rates," he said.

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Matrix, Collinson to provide Covid-19 travel testing to Matrix customers

Matrix and Collinson, the global end-to-end travel experiences, airport services and travel medical company have announced a partnership to offer travellers in India a range of Covid-19 travel tests including polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Antigen (lateral flow), and serology tests, before their next journey. The Collinson-led and managed service will be available to Matrix customers to book their test-on-arrival into the UK and their pre-departure test from the UK- with special offer packages available for students. Now available, the partnership enables Matrix customers to seamlessly and securely book a Covid-19 test through Matrix’s wholly owned mobile app called X Factor. Customers can book their ‘test-on-arrival' before travelling to the UK and their ‘pre-departure test’ from the UK through the app, which will then re-direct the customer to Collinson’s secure portal to request an appointment at a number of testing facilities at major UK airports, the O2 Arena and St Pancras train station. Upon completion of their test, customers will receive notification of their test results, which if negative, will enable them to enjoy their time in the UK without the need for quarantine (with regards to on-arrival testing) or travel to their intended destination (with regards to pre-departure testing). Priyanka Lakhani, Commercial Director Middle East & Africa, and Director South Asia, Collinson, said, “Through our partnership with Matrix, we are pleased to provide an easily accessible Covid-19 travel testing solution - now an essential aspect of a customer’s journey in our new era of travel for Matrix customers heading to, or travelling outbound from, the UK. We continue to be committed to offering travellers the support they need to feel safe when taking to the skies, with the ambition of achieving the long-term recovery of global travel.” Gagan Dugal, Founder of Matrix, added, “Over the years, we have evolved from a leading telecom solution provider to an integrated travel solutions company. This partnership with Collinson now makes us the first to offer this unique Covid-19 ‘on-arrival’ and ‘pre-departure’ travel testing solution to our customers in India. We are all aware of how stressful travelling can be, especially during the current times. We want to ensure every step is taken to provide an experience that is fulfilling our brand promise – easy and smart; and embodies the purpose that we stand for.”

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