In wake of a fresh COVID surge across the country, the health department will depute its teams at railway stations and airports for COVID testing of passengers reaching the state for the Holi festival. The decision has been taken in light of new COVID variants.

Patna civil surgeon Dr Vibha Kumari Singh told this newspaper that a list of doctors in this regard was being prepared. “Initially, fewer doctors will be stationed, but we’ll gradually increase their number with the rise in the incoming crowd at the stations or airport around the festival,” she said.

“If needed, we will also ask the district magistrate to provide additional police force for proper monitoring. With the vaccination drive underway and proper monitoring at places, we can control the virus transmission,” she added.
Passengers arriving at and departing from railway stations and airport will have to undergo compulsory thermal screening and Covid testing by the team of doctors present there.

Patna airport director Bhupesh C H Negi said they were waiting for the health department team. “We are strictly adhering to all the COVID prevention protocols and surveillance on our own. We will cooperate with the medical team once it arrives,” he said.

Chief public relations officer of East Central Railway, Rajesh Kumar, said they were conducting a compulsory thermal screening of all the passengers waiting for the health department teams to reach the railway stations.

Recently, with India reporting the presence of Brazil and South Africa variants of coronavirus, COVID safety measures have been ramped up at stations, bus stands, and airports in the state.

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