Covid-19 negative certificate required for chartered flights to Kerala

A Covid-19 negative test certificate is now mandatory for passengers travelling on chartered flights to Kerala from Saturday, June 20.
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia on Monday night released updated standard operating procedures for chartered flights to be followed by all Middle Eastern countries.
The statement said: "Beginning 20 June, 2020, all private chartered flights departing to Kerala from Middle East countries shall carry only passengers who have been tested for Covid-19 infection and shown to be negative. A test certificate of this effect should be carried by the passenger."
Up until now, Passengers taking chartered flights have undertook antibody rapid tests at airports in the UAE.
However, this latest requirement comes a day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked the Indian government to make arrangements to conduct Covid-19 testing for returnees through Indian embassies abroad.
Vijayan, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the central government should ensure the availability of testing kits for expatriates and that the embassies should be given the task of testing them for free.
"If there is no facility for PCR tests, at least rapid tests should be done. A situation where a Covid-19 positive person travels with non-infected persons should be avoided," Vijayan said in his letter, adding that the central government should consider operating special flights to bring back Covid-19 patients alone.
On Saturday, the Kerala government had also issued a notification on the new requirement to all overseas associations and companies operating chartered flights to the state.
As of now in the UAE, people who take Covid-19 tests at screening centres or drive-through facilities receive an SMS informing them they are negative and it will also be updated on the Al Hosn app.
The app gives an individual access to Covid-19 test results.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• India