From Jan 1, RT-PCR reports must for flyers from China

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New Delhi, December 29

Negative RT-PCR reports will be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand from January 1 with the Centre deciding to revive the Air Suvidha portal in the wake of Covid surge.

Assess stocks, Pharma firms told

The Centre has asked pharma firms to keep a close watch on the global supply chain scenario and to ensure adequate stocks of drugs.

The travellers would need to upload negative reports taken 72 hours prior to travel. This will be in addition to the ongoing 2 per cent random testing of international arrivals. “RT-PCR test has been made mandatory for flyers coming from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand from January 1, 2023,” tweeted Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. He also reviewed essential medicine stocks in preparation for a potential spike. The government has termed “January as the most critical month as it marks the completion of 30 days since cases surged in China”— the period the virus normally takes to reach India after a Chinese outbreak as seen in the previous Covid waves.

Mandaviya asked pharmaceutical firms to keep a close watch on the global supply chain scenario, closely monitor production and availability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) as well as formulations of essential medicines for Covid management and ensure adequate stocks and availability of all drugs including COVID drugs in the supply chain up to the retail level. “India’s pharmaceutical industry is robust, resilient and responsive. It is due to their strength that we could not only meet our down demand during the pandemic, but also supply medicines to 150 countries,” Mandaviya said.