India’s first airport Covid testing facility comes up in Delhi

The Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi got India’s first coronavirus airport testing facility on Friday. If you are an international passenger without a valid Covid negative certificate, then you can book a slot in advance and get tested at the airport itself. The results will be with you in 4-6 hours.

The need for a Covid testing facility at airport was felt due to rising cases and gradual opening up of the aviation sector.

DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) said in a statement that the testing booth has been made available at Terminal-3 with a walk-in option. The test results are available within four-six hours. “The testing facility ensures a safe journey of all passengers entering the city or scheduled for domestic connecting flights,” the statement read.

Passengers have been advised to book the slot an hour before the time of arrival and around four-six hours before the departure flight.

“Passengers will have to provide with their details such as name, contact details and valid ID proof while applying online for this facility. They will also have an option to modify the slot in case they are not able to reach at the scheduled appointment time. Besides, passengers belonging to the same family can book a single slot all together through online,” the DIAL statement reads.

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“Until the results are confirmed, passengers will be isolated at the waiting lounge or may opt to stay in a hotel. In case of a positive result, passengers will be processed in line with applicable ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) protocols by the state authorities. This will help the authorities concerned to avoid passengers affected with the disease from coming in close contact with those already having RT-PCR negative report,” the statement added.

India’s coronavirus tally has gone beyond 46 lakh on Saturday, with over 36 lakh people having recovered. About 77,000 people have succumbed to the infection so far. Worldwide, over 2.8 crore people have been affected by the pandemic.