GUWAHATI, Nov 8: Children below 10 years of age along with double-vaccinated parents/guardians coming to Assam have been exempted from COVID-19 tests on arrival at airports, railway stations and road/border points.
The Assam health and family welfare department, in partial modification of a notification issued on September 1, 2021, on Monday issued a revised order, exempting children below 10 years of age from the mandatory RT-PCR tests on arrival along with double-vaccinated parents/guardians.
“However, voluntary paid testing for such children shall be facilitated if the parents/guardians so desire,” a notification issued by the principal secretary, state health department, said.
As it is, in accordance with the earlier notification, inbound passengers who have been vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccines and possess such certificate, on production of the same in front of the screening authority, shall continue to be exempted from mandatory tests on arrival at airports, railway stations, road/border points, etc.
“However, passengers who are vaccinated with a single dose or not vaccinated and those who are symptomatic even with two doses of vaccination, shall have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR tests at their own cost, on arrival at airports, railway stations, road/border points, etc in Assam for which a subsidized rate of Rs 250 per RT-PCR test shall be charged,” the notification stated.
It may be mentioned that the vaccination rate in Assam has increased significantly over the past few months.
As on November 7, 2021, Assam has administered 2, 89, 32,622 COVID-19 vaccine doses, with 2, 02, 91, 039 first and 86, 41,583 second doses. This is almost 87 percent of the target for the first dose and 37 percent for the second dose against targets fixed by the central government.