While airports all around the world are straightaway quarantining incoming passengers for a mandatory period of at least 14 days, travellers to Vienna International Airport can actually skip the step. The airport authorities are giving passengers the option of getting their COVID-19 tests done right at the airport, after landing. If they test negative, they can easily avoid staying all isolated for the next couple of weeks. Read on to know the details.
How Is It Happening?
The Vienna airport authorities have now arranged for molecular-biological COVID-19 tests or PCR tests inside the airport premises. They have teamed up with the Austrian company Confidence DNA Analysen GmbH to conduct the tests. The pathologists are carrying out the tests by taking a specimen from the patient’s throat or nasal swab to verify the existence of coronavirus. Each test will cost €190 (₹15,500). The results will be available to the passengers within about three hours.
As per the Vienna airport website, people coming to Austria at present must either show a medical certificate confirming COVID-19 negative or else they need to go on a 14-day quarantine. If they present a previous report, the test cannot be older than four days. Those who do not have the reports can opt for onsite testing. If they test negative, they can be excused from self-quarantine. However, for people testing positive, prompt notifications will be sent to the public authorities in accordance with existing regulations.
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What Else?
Passengers who are departing from Vienna airport can also take the tests. The Austrian government is now permitting entry of only European Union (EU) citizens from outside the Schengen region. However, exceptions apply for healthcare workers, diplomats, humanitarian workers and family members of Austrian citizens living in the same house.
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That’s a great initiative by the Vienna airport authorities. Various other airports might take up similar initiatives too. It might be a little heavy on the pocket; but it will still be a better bet than spending 14 days in a quarantine camp.