Omicron Strain: Now passengers at these Airport can choose between two tests

New Delhi: In view of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, passengers arriving from foreign nations in the state will have to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR test at the airport from today.

Airports across the country have enforced strict quarantine for international passengers. Passengers have been given the option to undergo Rapid PCR or RT-PCR test.

At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the passengers are being charged Rs 500 for the RT-PCR tests, the test result of which will be available in next 5-6 hours, NDTV quotes.  Those who are opting for Rapid PCR tests need to pay Rs 3,900 at the airport. The results of these tests are however available within one hour, the officials added.

International passengers flying to Chennai from at risk countries will need to pay Rs 4,000 for Rapid test while those opting for regular RT-PCR will need to pay Rs 900.

At Mumbai airport, all international passengers from at-risk countries will undergo mandatory seven-day quarantine, during which time they must take three RT-PCR tests on the second, fourth and seventh days after arrival. They will be allowed to leave only after returning negative test results. If any of the tests are found to be positive, then the passenger shall be shifted to a hospital.

In Bangalore airport, those opting for the antigen tests need to pay Rs 3,900 per test and those taking the RT-PCR test will be charged Rs 500 per test.

While RT PCR tests is one of the most widely used methods for detecting COVID-19, Rapid PCR test has the same reliability and sensitivity as the commonly used PCR test.

Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been found in at least 13 countries so far. It was declared a variant of concern last week by the WHO.