The development has taken place after a recent global resurgence in virus cases, especially in neighboring countries including China and India.
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Dec 29th, 2022) The airports have tightened COVID-19 screening after Border Health Services (BHS) directed them in this regard.
The development has taken place after a recent global resurgence in virus cases, especially in neighboring countries including China and India.
The Airport Health Services have been directed to screen by using Antigen Rapid Test every unwell traveller at the airports.
The authorities have issues a notification under which all the focal persons of the BHS have been advised to maintain a heightened level of awareness for the rapid identification, detection, and isolation of any potential cases to prevent further transmission as a part of effective control and prevention measures.
They also advised all the in-charges to strictly implement Infection Prevention Control (IPC) protocols at the points of entry, including disinfection and fumigation of passenger arrival areas and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPES) by the healthcare workers for interruption of transmission.
As part of the national response against the variant at the entry points, a random sampling of all inbound passengers on international flights (2%) has been advised.
The authorities also advised all the airlines to cooperate with its staff in carrying out the testing smoothly, as some passengers often resist being tested.
Earlier, India also reported the detection of several cases of BF.7, a sub-variant of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is driving the huge COVID surge in China.
Several other countries, including Germany, Belgium, France, Denmark, the US, and the UK have also reported BF.7 sub-variant.
The reports suggested that the sub-variant is highly transmissible variant with a shorter incubation period as it is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.
It also has a higher capacity to cause re-infection and infect vaccinated individuals.
However, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) denied the detection of Omicron sub-variant BF.7 in Pakistan, saying that there is no threat of any new variant of COVID-19.
