Covid-19: UAE expats hail Kerala’s free PCR tests for travellers

  • Date: 26-Feb-2021
  • Source: Khaleej Times
  • Sector:Tourism
  • Country:UAE
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Covid-19: UAE expats hail Kerala’s free PCR tests for travellers

The south Indian state of Kerala on Friday announced free RT-PCR tests for travellers arriving from abroad — a decision that lifted the mood of the vast UAE expat population hailing from the assembly election-bound state.

Since February 22, pre-travel PCR tests were made mandatory for all international passengers arriving in India, including children. Currently, the Covid test is being conducted in at least eight airports in the country, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Kerala (Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram), and Delhi airports. Airports are charging different prices and the latest announcement makes Kerala the only state to offer the tests free of charge.

Mohamed Afsal, a pharmacist in the UAE, said the decision shows how the state government ‘understands the plight of the overseas working class'.

“This is great news for Keralites and our brothers from neighbouring states who land in Kerala airports. For most people, shelling out Dh100 or more on a RT-PCR test is not a worry but for poor workers who spend even a dirham with a second thought, this comes as a great relief,” said Afsal, a resident who hails from Thrissur district. With the mandatory on-arrival Covid tests, most