Monkeypox: Govt issues new guidelines for airports

KARACHI: New guidelines have been issued for airports in connection with the prevention of monkeypox virus. The guidelines state that Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) will follow all SOPs related to flights and passengers, all airlines, staff and ground handling companies will be bound to follow the SOPs. According to the guidelines, the Border Health Services Department will implement passenger screening and isolation measures at airports, while screening of flight crews coming to Pakistan from abroad has also been made mandatory. The guidelines state that Airports Security Force (ASF) will provide security at the isolation areas established at airports while Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration will be bound to provide passenger details and FIA will not issue on-arrival visa to foreigners without health clearance. The guidelines also state that the FIA ​​will be obliged to provide passenger information to the health authorities, customs clearance of passengers' luggage must be obtained from the health authorities. [embedpost slug="pakistan-confirms-its-first-case-of-monkeypox-of-2024"] According to the guidelines, the border health officials along with the customs can check the imported goods, the passengers coming to Pakistan will be thermally screened at the airports and the planes must be disinfected while all the airlines will be bound to provide masks to their passengers.