Omicron threat: Srinagar airport authority issues fresh advisory; urges people to arrive only three hours before flight

Srinagar: Srinagar airport authority has issued a fresh advisory urging passengers to take extra precautions and arrive three hours before flight.

This comes after five people were tested for Omicron in the Kashmir valley.

 
“The infection is more in crowded areas. All our passengers are requested to please maintain social distance at the airport and also wear masks at all the time,” the Airport Authority said in a statement.

 
It stressed the rule of “No Mask No Entry”. “There is a fine of Rs 500 if any passengers remove their mask. Most importantly, the time of entry to the airport is a maximum of 3 hours before flight departure. Some passengers come 7-8 hours before flight. Subsequently, it increases the crowd at the airport, leading to the increased risk of infection, the statement read.

 
The authorities have requested passengers to arrive at the airport only three hours before the scheduled flight. 

“Entry to the airport shall be given only up to three hours before flight from today. This is necessary to control the congestion at the airport because we want to reduce the chance of infection. Please cooperate with our security staff in maintaining access control at the airport,” it said.

The Omicron variant is much more transmissible than Delta. Across the country, the cases are spreading like wildfire, and still, the biological characteristics of this variant are relatively unknown.

On Tuesday, five people tested positive for the Omicron variant in Kashmir. They included a male from the Shopian district who has recovered and tested negative for the virus. Second is a female from Uri in Baramulla, who is recovering. The remaining three cases are non-locals who have gone back.