Assam: Covid Testing in Airports and Railway Station to Continue

In a fresh directive, the Assam government on Friday announced the continuance of Covid-19 testing on arrival at Airport and Railway Stations.

The state government also declared that its earlier order of suspending COVID-19 tests at airports and railway stations has been kept in “abeyance”.
This fresh decision came in wake of the gradual increase in the incidence of Covid-19 cases in few other states.
The COVID-19 screening and testing will continue at all the six airports in the state and railway stations as per existing protocols.
Earlier this month, the government had decided to discontinue mandatory COVID-19 testing at airports and railway stations from March 1, 2021, following a decline in new positive cases.

The order issued by the Principal Secretary (Health) to Govt. of Assam states,
“Whereas, there has been recently a gradual increase in the incidence of Covid-19 cases in few states.
Whereas, a new strain of Covid-19 has been discovered in some locations in the country;
Whereas, the Covid-19 vaccination has started and it will take some time for a large segment of the population to be vaccinated.
Whereas, it is now essential that all precautions continue to be taken to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Now, therefore, the order No. HLA.310/2020/90 dated 18/02/2021 (Annexure-I) regarding discontinuation of mandatory Covid-19 testing at airport and railway stations in Assam with effect from 1st March 2021, is hereby kept in abeyance until further orders. Covid-19 screening and testing will continue in all the airports of the State i.e. Guwahati, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur & Lakhimpur and the railway stations as before, as per extant protocols.
Further, the concerned district administration/ Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) officials will ensure that contact tracing protocol is strictly adhered to.”

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