Assam makes RAT mandatory for all air passengers arriving in the state

Assam government Tuesday made it mandatory for all air passengers arriving in the state to undergo the rapid antigen test (RAT) which will be done free of cost.

The order issued by the state health and family welfare came into force with immediate effect, officials said. If a passenger tests positive, he/she will have to undergo home isolation or get admitted in a private hospital or government health institution depending on his/her medical condition, the order said.

If an air passenger tests negative, he/she will have to undergo RT-PCR test at the airport at the maximum approved rate of Rs 500, it said. After the RT-PCR sample is collected, the passenger will be allowed to leave the airport premises but will be required to be in quarantine till the RT-PCR test result is known. Hand stamping of the passengers after the sample collection must be done.

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An undertaking in this regard will have to be furnished by each passenger, who can then continue with his/her normal activities in compliance with Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and norms, the order said. There will be no exemptions from undergoing the tests and all earlier standard exemptions in this connection have been withdrawn, it added. Residents of other north-eastern states who arrive in any airport in Assam airports from outside the state and are directly travelling onwards and all transit passengers of intra-Assam and inter-North Eastern states routes willl be exempted from testing provided they are asymptomatic.

These passengers will be required to produce proof of address in the north eastern states. Any person violating these instructions will be liable to be prosecuted as per the provisions of Section 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of IPC and other legal provisions, it said. Assam's total coronavirus positive cases so far is 2,20,893 with 2387 active cases. A total 1118 persons have died due to Covid-19 and 2,16,041 persons have recovered so far.