Passengers fly to UAE after Rapid PCR tests

Testing facility can determine a coronavirus case even before a person becomes infectious

ISLAMABAD:

A day after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) made the facility of conducting Rapid PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test for Covid-19 functional at all international airports of the country, eight flights carrying more than 1,500 passengers departed for the United Arab Emirates.

On August 5, the UAE had lifted a ban on transit passenger traffic from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries though it still required travelers from these countries to present negative coronavirus tests that were not carried out more than four hours before their departure.

“The Rapid PCR testing facilities have now been installed at all international airports in the country, different airlines have collaborated with different labs,” a spokesman for CAA said.

“At every airport, several laboratories have set up their counters and we are trying to facilitate them as much as we can,” he added.

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“Until now, eight flights carrying 1,560 passengers have departed for the UAE after the Rapid PCR testing facility was made available.”

The Rapid PCR test can determine a coronavirus case even before a person becomes infectious, making it possible to isolate such an individual on time.

Other tests detect viral proteins, revealing the coronavirus presence in a person’s respiratory system at the peak of the infection.

Azhar Rasheed, who works with the Islamabad Diagnostic Centre (IDC), confirmed his organisation had also established rapid Covid-19 testing facilities at the Islamabad and Lahore airports.

“The lab has 10 registration counters at the Islamabad airport. It has the capacity of performing more than 2,000 tests a day, with more than 400 tests an hour.”

The IDC, he added, had similar PCR setups at other airports to help passengers of various airlines like PIA, Etihad, Air Arabia, Serene Air, Emirates and Airblue.

A PIA spokesperson said the country’s national flag carrier had collaborated with the UAE-approved laboratories to provide Rapid PCR testing facilities to its passengers at airports in Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi.