Andaman and Nicobar administration issues new SOPs for travel
The Andaman and Nicobar administration has decided to exempt fully vaccinated people from mandatorily carrying a negative RT-PCR report to travel to Port Blair, an official said on Friday. The official told PTI that the health department of the union territory has decided to implement new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with effect from September 25.
They are also exempted from undergoing RT-PCR test at airport
As per the new SOPs, all asymptomatic passengers who have been fully vaccinated and more than 15 days have passed since the administration of the second dose will be exempted from the requirement of carrying a negative RT-PCR report to travel to Port Blair from the mainland. They will be also be exempted from undergoing additional RT-PCR tests on arrival at Port Blair airport.
Symptomatic passengers will have to undergo RT-PCR test at airport
Notably, all fully vaccinated passengers are required to produce the ID document mentioned in the vaccination certificate for verification. However, passengers who are found symptomatic on arrival at Port Blair, irrespective of their vaccination status shall be subjected to an RT-PCR test at the airport.
Here are the guidelines issued by the administration
✈️ Exemption from carrying -ve RTPCR report retesting for passengers travelling to Port Blair from mainland with the following conditions:-
— AIR News, Port Blair, AN Islands 🇮🇳 (@airnews_pb) September 23, 2021
1. All asymptomatic passengers who have been vaccinated with both the doses 15 days lapsed since the administration of IInd dose.
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Unvaccinated, partially vaccinated passengers have to produce negative RT-PCR report
All other passengers— unvaccinated, partially vaccinated (those who have taken only one COVID-19 vaccine dose) and those who have taken both doses, but have not completed 15 days since the administration of the second dose, shall have to produce a negative RT-PCR report to travel to Port Blair. They will also have to undergo additional RT-PCR tests on arrival at Port Blair.
Same guidelines are applicable for inter-island travel
Meanwhile, according to the local media reports, the same guidelines are applicable for the inter-island movement-- between South Andaman and North & Middle Andaman. However, Nicobar and the tribal areas of the union territory are exempted from the new SOPs. Further, passengers who are below 18 years of age will have to undergo mandatory testing.
All passengers are mandated to follow COVID-19 appropriate behavior: Official
"Despite the exemption, it is mandated that all passengers, irrespective of the status of their vaccination, shall scrupulously follow COVID-19 appropriate behavior," the official said. A large number of tourists are visiting the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as all the tourist spots in the archipelago have been opened for tourists. The union territory has 17 active COVID-19 cases as of Thursday.
