Government approves these SOPs for private international flight operations to Pakistan

The government of Pakistan has approved the Standard Operating Procedures for international flights to the country, operative from April 14-19, under which all passengers, staff, and ground-handling managers would have to comply with strict preventive measures against the COVID-19.

 SOPs FOR INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS 

1. As a defensive precautionary and preventive measure in the wake of the spread of COVID-19 District Administration Islamabad has started screening of all international passengers in collaboration with Central Health Establishment, District Health Department Islamabad & NIH.
2. Officers of ICT administration, Health Department & Central Health Establishment is deputed to coordinate the shifting of all international passengers from the airport to hotels/quarantine centers/paid facilities and up to their home districts.
3. District Administration Islamabad, after thorough consultation with health experts, has planned the following standard operating measures for international passengers:

 PRE-ARRIVAL PLAN 

• Civil Aviation Authority will be responsible for the provision of details of all incoming flights well before time so that screening arrangements can be made.
• Vehicles will be arranged by Islamabad Administration for shifting of the passengers from the airport to the designated hotels/quarantine centers/paid facilities.
• District administration will nominate an Assistant commissioner for leading the activity.
• District Administration will arrange vehicles and hotels on subsidized rates.
• Passengers will pay traveling charges and room rent during their stay in a hotel (including their meal)
• Personnel from Law enforcement agencies would be deployed outside the premises of quarantine facilities (hotels/quarantine centers/paid facilities) for maintenance of law and order.
• NIH will train all the relevant staff.
• District Administration will provide PPEs to the staff of hotels/quarantine centers/paid facilities, RRTs & LEAs.

 PROCEDURES AT ISLAMABAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 

• Airport Health Department will be responsible for screening all the passengers with thermal guns (thermal screening) and if needed with a thermometer.
• All frontline staff will be equipped with PPEs and standard equipment for safe & smooth screening of passengers.
• They will also keep a record of all passengers and share the same with health authorities and other concerned offices.
• Any passenger with symptoms of fever, cough or sneezing will be shifted to PIMS hospital without his coming into contact with other passengers.
• If any passenger has already been declared positive for COVID-19 will be separated immediately and shifted to PIMS through Rapid Response Units of District Health Department, Islamabad.

SHIFTING OF PASSENGERS 

• Shifting of Passengers will be led by nominated Assistant Commissioner.
• District administration has arranged vehicles for shifting of all passengers to the quarantine centers hotels/quarantine centers/paid facilities.
• All transportation staff will take necessary measures including PPEs and maintenance of safe distance during transportation.
• Transportation staff will disinfect the vehicle after transportation.

 HOTELS/QUARANTINE CENTERS/PAID FACILITIES 

• All the staff at hotels/quarantine centers/paid facilities will adhere to prescribed safety protocols and would wear PPEs.
• Concerned staff will keep a distance from passengers during their stay.
• Passengers will be not allowed to sit in lobby/gathering and they will remain in their allocated rooms.
• The staff will strictly adhere to the safety guidelines during room services to ensure their own safety.
• The staff of hotels/quarantine centers/paid facilities will share the data of all present & discharged passengers with COVID-19 Control Room ICTA daily.

ROLE OF NIH 

• District Administration will share the data of all passengers with NIH for sampling.
• NIH teams will take samples of all passengers with proper documentation.
• NIH teams will transport the samples collected by standard safety protocols.
• NIH will provide the results of samples taken by their teams to the District Administration as well as district health staff present at different quarantine centers.

HEALTH STAFF OF HOTELS/QUARANTINE CENTERS/PAID FACILITIES 

• One Doctor along with two paramedical staff will remain present at the quarantine center during the stay of passengers.
• All the passengers declared negative for COVID 19 by NIH would be examined by the doctor on duty and advised for home quarantine for further two weeks. Such passengers would be allowed to leave only after the submission of an affidavit by one of their blood relatives.
• In case of a positive result, the passenger will remain quarantined in that facility for 14 days.
• Health staff will also collect a record of discharged passengers before their departure mentioning Vehicle No, Name of Driver with contact details.

DEPARTURE OF PASSENGERS 

• All negative passengers will be allowed to depart for their respective hometowns after giving self-affidavit for staying in quarantine for two weeks in their homes.
• District Administration will provide vendors for the provision of vehicles to passengers. Passengers themselves will pay rent.
• District Administration will issue movement orders for passengers having to cross provincial/District Boundaries to reach their hometowns.
• Passengers will also provide their contact details: personal contact number & number of close blood relatives, for monitoring by Administration for the next 14 days.
• Collective data of the passengers will also be shared with respective provinces for follow up and monitoring.

POSITIVE COVID-19 PASSENGERS 

• All positive passengers will be retained at quarantine facility for the next fourteen (14) days until the results of their two consecutive tests separated by a gap of 24 hours come out as negative.
• Passengers who can afford to pay for their stay at hotels will pay for themselves.
• Those passengers who cannot afford to pay for their stay at hotels will be shifted to any of the government quarantine facilities which are cost-effective.

PASSENGERS FEEDBACK 

• Feedback of all passengers will be recorded by staff on duty at the time of departure of passengers on prescribed form for the improvement of services.

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