International passengers tested for Covid at Andhra's Gannavapuram airport

Alerted by the new BF.7 Covid-19 variant, the officials at the Gannavaram airport here in Andhra Pradesh conducted Corona tests for international travellers.

The arrangements were made by the District Medical Officers at the airport on the orders of the Central and State Governments.

As per Centre's guidelines, two per cent of international passengers arriving at Indian airports are to be tested.

Airport Director Lakshmi Kanta Reddy has revealed that they are organising the Covid tests at Gannavaram Airport and will continue at Gannavaram Airport as per the orders of the Central and State Governments.

"An Air India flight arrived at Gannavaram Airport with 140 passengers from Sharjah. Four passengers from Sharjah have been tested for Covid at Gannavaram International Airport," said Reddy.

"Nobody is afraid of corona. We have taken booster dose and we have to put on mask for our safety," said a passenger.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has already held a meeting with top officials and experts to take stock of the Covid situation in the country.

The entire country is gearing up for a possible fourth wave of Covid-19, with the new Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which said to be the reason behind the surge in Covid cases in China, being detected in India.