Qatar Airways issues new advisory
Qatar Airways has said passengers travelling from specific airports in some countries will be required to present a Covid-19 RT-PCR negative test result when checking in, with effect from August 13.
This is aimed at ensuring the safety of all passengers, the airline has stressed in a travel advisory on its website.
“In our current network, these countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. They will also be required for passengers travelling with Qatar Airways from India, Nepal, Nigeria and Russia when we resume our services to these countries,” the advisory states.
Test results must be issued within 72 hours before departure, from laboratories that are approved by Qatar Airways, and paid for at the passenger’s expense.
Those who do not have a copy of their medical test certificate alongside a consent form will not be permitted to travel on Qatar Airways flights. Children below the age of 12 years are exempt from this test if accompanied by family members who have presented a negative test result.
The airline has published the list of approved test centres in the said countries. It can be viewed here.
The consent form is available here.
The website also sheds light on the forms that passengers need to fill up for travel to certain countries.
“Some countries’ immigration and health authorities require passengers to submit a passenger locator or health form prior to departure,” it says.
From August 1, passengers travelling to Massachusetts, US, are required to fill out a travel form ahead of departure to confirm arrangements for a 14-day quarantine or that they can produce a negative Covid-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours prior to arrival. For more details, one can visit the Massachusetts state website.
Passengers travelling to Spain, Greece and the UK must fill out a form up to 48 hours ahead of departure, while those travelling to the Maldives must fill out a form up to 24 hours ahead of departure.
Qatar Airways has further enhanced its onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew. The airline has introduced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew, which includes gloves, face masks, safety glasses and a new protective gown that is fitted over their uniforms. A modified service that reduces interactions between passengers and the crew inflight has also been introduced.
Onboard, all Qatar Airways passengers are now provided with a complimentary protective kit. Inside a ziplock pouch they will find a single-use surgical face mask, large disposable powder-free gloves and an alcohol-based hand sanitiser gel. The airline has also introduced disposable face shields for adults and children. Passengers travelling from Hamad International Airport will receive their face shields at the check-in counters, whereas at other destinations, the face shields will be distributed at the boarding gates.
To ensure travellers can plan their travel with peace of mind, the airline has extended its booking policies to offer even more choice to its passengers. The airline will allow unlimited date changes, and passengers can change their destination as often as they need if it is within 5,000 miles of the original destination. The airline will not charge any fare differences for travel completed before December 31, after which fare rules will apply. All tickets booked for travel up to December 31 will be valid for two years from the date of issuance.
For full terms and conditions, one can visit this link.

Here is the list of approved laboratories to do Covid-19 RT-PCR medical test

* Bangladesh
Flying from Dhaka: Sher E Bangla Medical College – Barisal, Bangladesh Institute of Tropical & Infectious Diseases, Cox’s Bazar Medical College, Cumilla Medical College, National Institute of Preventive & Social Medicine, Institute of Public Health, National Institute of Laboratory Medicine & Ref. Centre, Narayanganj 300-Bed Hospital, Khulna Medical College, Kustia Medical College, Mymensingh Medical College, Shahid Ziaur Rahman Medical College, Rahshahi Medical College, Rangpur Medical College and Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College.

* Brazil
Flying from São Paulo: Fleury, Amais, Delboni Auriemo and Lavoisier

* India
Flying from Ahmedabad: Unipath Specialty Lab, Supratech Labs and Sterling Accuris.
Flying from Amritsar: Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Civil Hospital, Sri Guru Ram Dass University of Health and Science, Jalandhar Civil Hospital, Christian Medical College, Gurdaspur Civil Hospital, Barnala Civil Hospital, Rajindra Hospital Govt Medical College, Mata Kaushalya Hospital, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, District Hospital Hoshiarpur, District Hospital Barnala, District Hospital Kapurthala, District Hospital Muktsar Sahib, District Hospital Moga, District Hospital Rupnagar, District Hospital Sangrur, Civil Hospital SBS Nagar, Civil Hospital Mansa, Civil Hospital Bathinda and Civil Hospital Pathankot.
Flying from Bengaluru: test can be done at all Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-approved labs.
Flying from Chennai: test can be done at all ICMR-approved labs.
Flying from Cochin: Medivision Scan & Diagnostic Research Centre.
Flying from Goa: Goa Medical College.
Flying from Hyderabad: Vijaya Diagnostic.
Flying from Kolkata: Apollo Hospital, Medica Super Specialty Lab, Suraksha Labs and Dr Lal Path Labs.
Flying from Kozhikode: Aza Diagnostics Center.
Flying from Nagpur: Dhruv Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics Labs, and Su-Vishwas Diagnostic Lab.
Flying from New Delhi: Dr Lal Path Labs.
Flying from Mumbai: Suburban Diagnostics, Metropolis, SRL and Nanavati Hospital.
Flying from Thiruvananthapuram: DDRC Test Lab.

* Iran
Flying from Isfahan: NOBEL.
Flying from Mashhad: Mashhad Pathobiology Laboratory, Dr Ejtehadi Lab, Pardis Lab and Dr Daneshgahi Lab.
Flying from Shiraz: Niloo Lab.
Flying from Tehran: Keyvan Lab and Khobsho Lab.

qatar airways

* Iraq
Flying from Erbil: Central Emergency Hospital.

* Nepal
Flying from Kathmandu: Star Hospital, Sukraraj Tropical & Infectious Disease Hospital, KMC Hospital, BIR Hospital, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Hams Hospital, Central Diagnostic Laboratory, Surya Healthcare and Grande Hospital.

* Nigeria
Flying from Lagos: Clina Lancet Laboratory, Medbury Medical Services, Synlab, Biologix Medical Services Lagos, Vcare Diagnostics Limited Lagos and 54gene Lagos.

* Pakistan
Flying from Islamabad: Aga Khan University Hospital Clinical Laboratories, Essa Labs, Excel Labs and IDC.
Flying from Karachi: Aga Khan University Hospital Clinical Laboratories, Essa Labs, Excel Labs and IDC.
Flying from Lahore: Aga Khan University Hospital Clinical Laboratories, Essa Labs, Excel Labs and IDC.
Flying from Peshawar: Aga Khan University Hospital Clinical Laboratories, Essa Labs, Excel Labs and IDC.
For passengers travelling to South Korea, only tests from Aga Khan University Hospital Clinical Laboratories and Excel Labs will be accepted.

* The Philippines
Flying from Cebu: Prime Care Alpha
Flying from Clark: Jose B Lingad Hospital and LIPAD CRK.
Flying from Davao: Davao One World Diagnostic Center (Matina & Bajada branch).
Flying from Manila: Makati Medical Center, Asian Hospital, St Lukes Hospital BGC, St Lukes Hospital QC, Delos Santos Medical Center, Chinese General Hospital, Philippine Red Cross and The Medical City Ortigas.

* Russia
Flying from Moscow: Gemotest, CMD Clinic, LABQUEST and any lab conducting the test provided it is approved by Rospotrebnadzor.
Flying from St Petersburg: Gemotest, CMD Clinic, LABQUEST and any lab conducting the test provided it is approved by Rospotrebnadzor.

* Sri Lanka
Flying from Colombo: Durdans Hospital, Nawaloka Hospital, Lanka Hospital and Asiria Surgical Hospital.

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