The health minister of India has recommended that the public take steps to protect themselves against Covid-19, such as getting vaccinated and wearing masks, as the country remains vigilant for the possibility of new variants emerging from the ongoing outbreak in China.
India’s Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, announced on Thursday that the country will start randomly testing 2% of international travelers arriving at its airports for Covid-19. Mandaviya also requested that regional authorities send positive samples to laboratories that are monitoring for new strains of the virus.
During a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing Covid-19 situation in India, Health Minister Mandaviya stated that the virus is not yet over and emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant and strengthening surveillance efforts. He reminded those present that, despite a decrease in infections earlier this year, Covid-19 continues to pose a threat and urged caution, particularly in light of rising cases in several Asian nations. In the past, India, a country of 1.3 billion, had implemented stricter measures to control the spread of the virus, but these restrictions have been eased in recent months and masks are no longer commonly worn in public.
