Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, India, has launched a Covid-19 testing centre at the airport.
The NABL and ICMR-certified test facility, which has been jointly launched by BIAL and Auriga Research Private Limited, will operate 24/7.
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BIAL stated that the express service will use Abbott ID Now test, which is available for the first time at an airport in India.
Customers can also pre-book their services online.
There will be a dedicated laboratory outside the BLR Airport Terminal and a sample collection kiosk inside the terminal.
As part of the facility, a waiting lounge with strict adherence to Covid-19 safety protocols will also be created.
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By GlobalDataThose international travellers who couldn’t get tested before boarding their flight can make use of this centre on their arrival at the airport.
In addition, the service will also be available to departing passengers, who need to produce a Covid-19 negative test report at their destination.
Unlike the regular RT-PCR test result, which takes up to six hours, under the express test method, the RT-PCR test result would be available in less than 15 minutes.
Test reports would be sent directly to those tested via digital platforms.
According to the Government of India’s requirements, the results of all samples will be registered on the ICMR website.
While the Rapid PCR (Abbott ID NOW) test will cost $33, the RT-PCR test will cost around $11.
In a separate development, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has announced that travellers coming from West Asia and Europe will be put through a mandatory institutional quarantine if they test positive for coronavirus.
This announcement comes after the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation banned travel from the UK, following reports of fast-spreading new strain of coronavirus in Britain.
Meanwhile, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has announced its plan to commence distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in January, with up to 5.4 million vials each day.
