COVID-19: Assam mandates RT-PCR and antigen tests for air, train passengers

Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Minister for Health and Family Welfare, on Saturday said that COVID neutral certificates from other states would not be accepted in the state, and both air and train passengers must undergo both RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen test.

"Those coming from outside must undergo RT-PCR test on reaching Assam, and the results will be available within 24 hours, but till then they should stay in isolation", Sarma said.

Sarma added that the UK variant of the virus, which spreads fast, is prevalent in the second wave in the state and that the situation is linked primarily to people with travel history. "As of now, we are prepared, and the situation is under control," he clarified.

Sarma also negated the possibility of the spike's association with the assembly election campaign saying, "We had conducted a study to find out if COVID cases had increased where there were more election rallies, but this could not established. Out of the 126 assembly constituencies in the state, there are no cases in around 100 of them."

The state has reported 2,22,940 cases so far. "In Assam, the current cases are still linked to travel, and there is no indigeneous COVID here," Sarma noted.