COVID: RT-PCR Report Mandatory For People Flying From These Six Countries

India has made RT-PCR tests mandatory for people flying in from six countries from 1 January 2023.

India has made RT-PCR tests mandatory for people flying in from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand from 1 January 2023.

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to share that anyone flying in from these countries will have to upload their RT-PCR reports on the Air Suvidha portal before travel.

RT-PCR test has been made mandatory for flyers coming from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand from 1st January 2023. They will have to upload their reports on the Air Suvidha portal before travel.

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) December 29, 2022

This comes in light of the COVID-19 surge in China. Following the east of restrictions in China, cases started increasing. Even Japan reported 2,16,219 infections and 415 deaths (the highest so far in the country) on Wednesday, 28 December.

Should India be concerned? The Indian health ministry has been conducting random tests on international passengers, holding mock drills in health facilities, and maintaining precautionary measures.

However, various experts have been saying that since the pandemic followed its natural path in countries like India, the chances of a new surge are fewer.