Thread by @NewsBytesApp

Fresh rules for international travelers in view of Omicron variant come into effect from Dec-1. Testing at airports across India is mandatory for travelers coming from "at-risk" nations while those arriving from other nations will undergo random testing.
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India is set to resume regular international flight operations from Dec-15. The new rules are crucial for international passengers arriving in India & may affect travel plans for many. Even though India has not reported any Omicron variant case as yet, officials are concerned.

All international arrivals in India need to fill a self-declaration form & submit a negative RT-PCR report. Those arriving from "at-risk" nations must give their samples for testing. If found positive, they will be quarantined & the samples will be sent for genome sequencing.

State officials will physically visit homes of quarantined individuals to ensure compliance. Countries that have been labeled "at-risk" include Brazil, Botswana, China, Hong Kong, Israel, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, Zimbabwe, & all European nations.

International passengers may have to wait for up to six hours at the Delhi airport for their COVID-19 test results, NDTV reported. The company handling testing for that airport can process up to 500 tests per hour and efforts are underway to enhance capacity. #Omnicron

Omicron—whose scientific name is B.1.1.529—has some 50 mutations including more than 30 in its key spike protein alone. The strain may be more transmissible, but, more studies are required. Symptoms in people carrying the variant in South Africa were said to be "mild."