ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal pandemic response body, the National Command and Operation Centre, has revised its travel policy for people returning to Pakistan from the United Kingdom via direct and indirect flights, local media reported, mandating a rapid antigen COVID-19 test upon arrival in Pakistan.
The decision comes as Britain has reported record levels of COVID-19 cases over the past week, with officials and ministers warning that hospitalisations are also rising.
Fears are also rising over omicron infections, which are multiplying rapidly across Europe and the United States, doubling every two or three days in London and elsewhere and taking a heavy toll on financial markets.
The omicron variant was first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong and so far has been reported in at least 89 countries. The severity of illness it causes remains unclear.
Under its new guidelines, the NCOC has made it mandatory for passengers to undergo a rapid antigen COVID-19 test upon arrival from the UK. Travelers will also have to carry a vaccination certificate and negative coronavirus test results from 48 hours before boarding the flight.
The NCOC has also instructed the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority "to adjust direct flights from the UK to provide passengers time to conduct rapid COVID tests at the airport," Samaa reported.
Around 270 people tested positive for the coronavirus in Pakistan in the last 24 hours, with four deaths. More than 61 million people in a population of 220 million have so far been fully vaccinated in Pakistan.
Statistics 21 Dec 21:
Total Tests in Last 24 Hours: 42,506
Positive Cases: 270
Positivity %: 0.63%
Deaths : 4
Patients on Critical Care: 643— NCOC (@OfficialNcoc) December 21, 2021
