The Andaman and Nicobar administration has decided to exempt fully vaccinated people from mandatory carrying a negative RT-PCR report to travel to Port Blair, an official said on Friday.
The official told PTI that the Union Territory administration’s Health Department has decided to implement fresh Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with effect from September 25.
As per the new SOPs, all asymptomatic passengers who have been vaccinated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine and more than 15-days has passed since the administration of the second dose of the vaccine will be exempted from the mandatory requirement of carrying a negative RT-PCR report to travel to Port Blair from the mainland.
It further said that all such passengers will be also be exempted from undergoing additional RT-PCR test on arrival at Port Blair airport. All such passengers will be required to produce the ID document mentioned in the vaccination certificate for verification.
But passengers who are found symptomatic on arrival at Port Blair, irrespective of their vaccination status shall be subjected to RT-PCR test at the airport terminal to aid identification.
All other passengers – unvaccinated, partially vaccinated (those who have taken only first dose of COVID-19 vaccine) and those who have taken both doses, but have not completed 15 days since the administration of second dose, shall have to produce a negative RT-PCR report to travel to Port Blair from the mainland, as is the practice now. They will also have to undergo additional RT-PCR test on arrival at Port Blair.
Despite the exemption, it is mandated that all passengers, irrespective of the status of vaccination, shall scrupulously follow COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour, 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 only 17 active COVID-19 cases as on Thursday.
Source: PTI
