ISLAMABAD: Fearing the spread of the Omicron in Pakistan, the National Command and Operation Authority (NCOC) Monday announced an updated travel policy for passengers arriving from the United Kingdom which is hit by the latest variant of the coronavirus, making it mandatory for them to undergo a rapid antigen test (RAT) on arrival.
The measure comes in addition to already-in-place pre-boarding protocols including the mandatory vaccination regime and negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, said the body’s Deputy Director Abdul Qadeer Awan.
The NCOC also requested the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to accommodate where necessary direct flights from the UK to provide a sufficient time gap for airports to ensure 100 percent RAT.
The agency has also urged concerned authorities to take appropriate measures and expeditiously disseminate the information.
Omicron, first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong, has raced around the globe and so far been reported in at least 89 countries. It is known to be very transmissible, but the severity of the illness it causes remains unclear.
12 people in Britain have died with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, its Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said Monday, refusing to rule out a tightening of social restrictions before Christmas.
Britain has reported record levels of Covid-19 cases, with officials and ministers warning that the full effects of the latest wave are still yet to be seen.
In addition to the 12 deaths, Raab said 104 people were currently in hospital with Omicron. Officials warned last week that hospitalisations could hit new highs as the effects of the latest surge work their way through the population.
Asked whether the government would impose further restrictions before Christmas, Raab told Times Radio: “I just can’t make hard and fast guarantees.”
