In response to the escalating surge of the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 cases globally, strict screening measures for international passengers at airports have been implemented.
As per an official statement, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has initiated steps to test two percent of passengers on all international flights. In compliance with directives from the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), comprehensive corona screening for passengers is now in effect at major airports across the country, confirmed the CAA spokesperson.
The spokesperson detailed that two percent of passengers from each flight will undergo a rapid antigen test, and passenger lounges will be fumigated at least once a day, as per NCOC guidance. Additionally, Border Health Services officials at the airports have been instructed to provide full support to passengers.
Last year, in response to the surge of the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in the United States, the World Health Organization (WHO) officials recommended passengers wear masks on long-haul flights. In Europe, the XBB.1.5 subvariant has been detected in small but growing numbers, according to a press briefing by WHO and Europe officials.
Passengers are advised to wear masks in high-risk settings such as long-haul flights, as recommended by Catherine Smallwood, the WHO’s senior emergency officer for Europe. She emphasized that this recommendation should apply to passengers arriving from areas with widespread COVID-19 transmission.
The XBB.1.5 subvariant, identified as the most transmissible Omicron subvariant so far, constituted 27.6% of COVID-19 cases in the United States for the week ending on Jan. 7, as reported by health officials.
