50 flyers opt for COVID-19 test

NT NETWORK

Panaji

The state government on Monday said that out of the total 113 passengers who landed in Goa by three different flights and a transit train, 53 passengers opted for COVID-19 test by paying Rs 2,000 while remaining passengers opted for home quarantine.

Health Secretary Nila Mohanan told a press conference in Panaji that out of the 13 flights, which were supposed to land in Goa on the first day of the resumption of the domestic flight services, ten flights were cancelled and only three flights including two from Delhi and one from Bengaluru landed at the Dabolim airport.

She said only nine passengers arrived by Rajdhani train that passed through Goa on Monday. Of these nine passengers, three opted for COVID-19 test, she said. 

Mohanan informed that 26 samples of the passengers of the flights have tested negative while the remaining samples are being examined at government laboratories. She said that the government is yet to implement the new standard operating procedure for the visitors arriving in the state by road. She said the government is developing a ‘system’ and as of now the old protocol is being followed.

When asked if the government was concerned about the influx of people from the worst COVID-hit states, Mohanan said, “There is no specific concern. As such, we have to handle the situation as it is…this is an evolving situation, everyday it’s changing…we have to be prepared and we should continue our preparation.”

Stating that the government will accept only the medical certificates from ICMR-approved laboratories, Mohanan said if a visitor is found producing a fake COVID-negative certificate upon his arrival to skip COVID-19 test and home quarantine options, then he/she will be prosecuted by the government.

She said that as per the revised SOP, stranded Indians coming from abroad including seafarers will have to mandatorily undergo seven-day institutional quarantine followed by seven-day home quarantine as against the 14-day institutional quarantine as mandated earlier.