Chennai: In view of Omicron, the new variant of coronavirus, Tamilnadu Health Minister M Subramanian has said restrictions like lockdown will not be implemented in the State if people follow the rules.
Speaking to the media, he said no cases of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron had been detected in the State so far. Subramanian said around 500 people from 11 high-risk countries have landed in Tamilnadu till Wednesday night. Their samples were tested and all of them returned negative.
‘Two per cent of air passengers arriving from non-high-risk countries are subjected to Covid-19 tests through random sampling. These RT-PCR tests are now conducted by the Airport Authority of India for Rs 600 each. Henceforth, the tests would be conducted by the Health Department for free for passengers coming from non-high-risk countries and economically-backward people arriving from high-risk countries,’ he added.
Swab samples drawn randomly from air passengers arriving from non-high-risk countries would be tested for Covid-19 for free at the four international airports — Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tiruchy, Subramanian said.
Apart from the screening of passengers from high-risk countries, 2 per cent of international passengers from non-risk countries are also randomly selected and RT-PCR tests are conducted on them.
Passengers from high-risk countries will have to undergo a mandatory seven-day home quarantine period. Besides Health Inspectors, a team of officials from Local Bodies, Police and the Revenue, will keep watch on them.