One of India’s biggest evacuation exercises amid the coronavirus lockdown was launched on Thursday, 7 May, with several Air India and Air India Express flights leaving the country to bring back stranded Indians across the world. Out of these, two flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi landed on Thursday night.
The Air India Express flight from Abu Dhabi landed in Kochi at 10:20 pm, according to a report by The Indian Express and had 177 passengers and four children. The flight from Dubai landed a little after that in Kozhikode, with 177 passengers and five children.
The terminal had been disinfected, and several officials and health workers were present in the PPE gear to receive the passengers. Prior to departure the passengers had already gone through the antibody test at the airport. They will be quarantined at a government facility for a week.
During which time, they will undergo the RT-PCR test, and if the result is negative, they will be sent home and asked to self-quarantine there. If not, they will be moved to a hospital. Several thermal screenings of the passengers are also taking place.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and NDTV)
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