Coronavirus scare: At first point of screening, task cut out for Delhi airport staff

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“Passengers from the 15 countries — China, US, Italy, South Korea, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Spain, France, Vietnam, Nepal, and Thailand — are directed to a separate Airport Health Organisation (APHO) counter. Here, they undergo thermal screening to determine if they are running a temperature or not. In case health officials find that a traveller has fever, they are referred to RML or Safdarjung hospital for a check-up,” said the official, adding that passengers are not allowed into the Delhi duty-free area as well.

Outside the airport, meanwhile, most passengers were wearing masks and cleaning their hands with sanitisers.

Ankita Mishra (29), an Indian national returning from Madrid, said, “I noticed a sign that directed people from certain countries to a separate area. I was in the queue for around 20 minutes. I filled up two forms in the airline and submitted them at separate points.”

Another flyer, Deepali Chawla (19), a resident of Jaipur and studying in Malaysia, said, “We couldn’t figure out why we had to fill two identical forms. The process was simple otherwise.”

She added that although most people underwent thermal screening, airport authorities checked the temperature of babies using regular thermometers.

The airport official explained that two forms are needed to ensure no one leaves unchecked. “APHO officials collect the first form immediately after a traveller enters the airport. The second form, which is stamped by the same staff, is to be submitted at the immigration counter,” he said.

Mukesh Kumar (26), a tourist coming from Dubai, said, “When we entered the terminal from the bus, they did thermal scanning. In the forms, we were asked to provide our address, passport number, travel history and state whether we have any symptoms such as cough, cold or fever.”

Meanwhile, travellers arriving at peak hours complained that the process took too long. Jasmin Khulusi (53), a German national, said, “I visited Philippines, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia recently. Delhi was the slowest with regard to the screening process. Luckily, my temperature was normal so I was not held back.”

A woman arriving from San Francisco said, “Some people inside the airport were wearing masks, not all… it was quite intense. In the US, there is a shortage of masks so I have ordered them here, otherwise I took precautions with sanitiser and wipes. They did not thermal scan everyone on arrival. The airlines did send emails saying they were deep cleaning after every flight.”

Travellers noted that sanitisers are available at regular points at the airport. Many travellers pointed out that thermal scanning is done at departures as well.