Seven Indian Airports Installed Thermal Screeners Against The Threat Of Novel Corona Virus
The Centre has directed seven airports to conduct the thermal screeners of passengers arriving in India from China in the wake of Corona Virus outbreak. These airports include: Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
For this, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is making all logistics support and arrangements with regard to screening of passengers. MoCA has called for immediate implementation of the action plan and strict adherence by identified airports and all concerned airlines.
“As far as health screening at airports is concerned, thermal screening of passengers to be undertaken. Provision of space at the pre-immigration area with logistics to install the thermal cameras to be made at these airports. Airlines staff to bring the passengers to the Health counters before the immigration check,” said the official.
“In order to facilitate early isolation, In-flight announcements to be made by the airlines (which are directly coming from any airport in China including Hong Kong) requesting passengers with history of fever and cough and history of travel to Wuhan City in last 14 days to self-declare at port of arrival or to State Health Authorities,” said the official statement.
It said that the airlines staff have to guide the passengers in filling up the self-reporting forms before disembarkation so that the filled-up format can be checked by APHO staff on arrival.
“Airport signage to be displayed boldly at the strategic locations of these seven identified airports. Operational procedures recommended by International Air Transport Association (IATA) with regard to managing suspected communicable disease on board an aircraft.
It mentioned that all passengers and crew who are otherwise healthy should be allowed to continue their onward journey. “If the ill passenger or crew member is confirmed as a probable case of Wuhan Corona Virus, public health authorities should be notified about the contacts using the Passenger Locator Form,” said the official.
Last week, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued the health advisory on health management for travellers arriving from China regarding the threat of nCoV disease in the neighbouring country.
