No one coming from UK, Europe to be allowed in city, decides airport authorities

Kolkata: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport authorities have decided not to allow anyone coming from UK or Europe to enter the city, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

It has also been decided that people coming from Gulf countries will be quarantined as soon as they land in Kolkata.

According to sources, after an 18-year-old boy who arrived in Kolkata from UK on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19, the Airport Authority of India in Kolkata has reviewed the guidelines given earlier. After the review it was decided that entry of people from European countries and UK will not be allowed as COVID-19 has spread there.

On Wednesday NSCBI Airport Director Kaushik Bhattacharjee said: "Airlines have been informed about the decision about people from UK and Europe so that they do not allow any passenger from there to board the flights to Kolkata."

This apart, he informed that people coming from Gulf countries will be handed over to the state Health department team and will ask to quarantine them.

"A team from the state Health department is stationed in the airport round-the-clock. From Wednesday 7 pm till March 31, people coming from Gulf countries will be handed over to the medical team and will be asked to take them to the quarantine facility," Bhattacharjee added.

This apart, all the passengers coming to Kolkata will be checked using thermal guns and if no health issues are found, they will be allowed to go. Sources informed that in the past few days, the frequency of passengers of domestic flights has decreased by at least 20 percent due to COVID-19.