Kerala & Mumbai Students With Confirmed Admissions To Get Vaccine On Priority; Gap Reduced

by Vaishnavi Venkataraman
Kerala & Mumbai Students With Confirmed Admissions To Get Vaccine On Priority; Gap Reduced

The Kerala government will issue Covid vaccination certificates with passport numbers to people who need to travel abroad for jobs or higher studies. Moreover, people who took the first Covishield jab will get a shorter gap time for the second dose, if they need to travel abroad for the above-mentioned reasons. Students in Mumbai with confirmed admissions to universities abroad will also get vaccinated on a priority basis.

Mumbai Students With Confirmed Admissions Abroad To Get Vaccines On Priority Basis

Students in Mumbai who have got confirmed admission to universities abroad and need to get vaccinated before travelling will be inoculated on priority, the Maharashtra government said on Friday. They must show certain specific documents to prove confirmed admissions to colleges before being eligible for the Covid vaccines at three centres run by BMC. Aaditya Thackeray tweeted on the same, “For students who have received confirmation of admission in universities abroad and require vaccines for the same, the @mybmc has arranged free, walk-in vaccination this coming Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (31st May, 1st, 2nd June) at 3 centres – Rajawadi, Cooper and Kasturba.” He further informed that they must carry I- 20 or DS- 160 form/verified confirmation letter to the concerned universities abroad apart from personal ID documents.

Gap Time Reduced Between 2 Covishield Doses For Keralites Travelling Abroad

People who took the first Covishield jab in Kerala and want a travel clearance will be eligible for the second dose of the vaccination after four to six weeks. This is applicable to Keralites who need to travel abroad for a job or higher studies. The central government recently increased the gap time between two Covishield doses to 12 to 16 weeks. This is good news for people who need to be fully vaccinated in order to travel abroad.

Also Read: Shock Waves Of COVID-19 Rock Kerala Houseboats; Leaves Owners In Deep Financial Distress

Indian Nationals

All International Passengers Will Continue To Be Tested On Arrival

While the Covid-test rates vary in airports across India, Kerala has made the on-arrival COVID-19 RT-PCR test free for those coming from abroad. This also includes passengers from the UAE. Kerala Health minister K.K. Shailaja made the announcementand in Kerala and said all international passengers will continue to be tested on arrival as per the latest travel protocol announced by India’s federal government. The test costed Rs1,700 (AED 84.74) in Kerala.

Indian expats had demanded an exemption in COVID-19 tests for travelling to India from UAE and the initiative gathered steam with social workers and community groups joining the campaign. Social workers demanded the government to fund the test while a few expats postponed travel plans hoping rules would be revised. Although the test has been made free of cost, all international passengers arriving in Kerala will be tested for Covid.

In addition, international passengers arriving in Kerala must follow home quarantine for seven days and need to be tested again on the eighth day. Those who do not get the test done must observe 14 days’ home quarantine. Anyone developing symptoms must go for a test.

The Test Is Mandatory For All Passengers Arriving From Middle East

The “self-paid confirmatory molecular test” is mandatory for all passengers arriving from the Middle East, so ensure you carry adequate money.  After a pre-departure Covid test taken 72 hours before the flight, passengers will be screened once again upon landing in Indian airports. Different airports in India are charging different rates for the on-arrival RT-PCR COVID-19 confirmatory test, depending on the charges fixed by the respective state governments. Emirates Airline has listed the cost of the test at different Indian destinations it is currently serving.

Cost Of Covid-19 Test In India Airports

Ahmedabad: Rs 800 per person
Bangalore: RT PCR Express Rs 3,000 (30 minutes processing time), RT PCR (normal) Rs 500 (For hours processing time)
Chennai: Rs 1,200 to 2,500 per person
Delhi: On arrival molecular test will cost approximately Rs 800 per person. Passengers who have to wait for their results before their connecting flights must pay for the lounge cost at approximately Rs 2,600 per person.
Hyderabad: Rs1,000 per person
Kerala: On arrival molecular test will cost approximately Rs1,500 to 2,000 per person
Kolkata: Rs 950 per person
Mumbai: Rs 850 per person