Introduction of Screening for Swine Flu at Indian Airports

theyyamdancer

Just reported in the Telegraph is the introduction of screening for swine flu in certain Indian airports. See this link:



http://www.telegraphindia.com/109042...y_10885703.jsp

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"Wandering seemed no more than the happiness of an anxious man." - Albert Camus

delhiwala

Another big epidemic....

Spreading too fast........

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Chels_B

Does any one know how in depth this supposed screening is? I fly into Delhi tomorrow and my flight goes through the US. Has anyone been through this screening?

claret

We fly to Delhi this week. The lad we are visiting in India has suggested that we get a letter from our GP first to confirm that we have tested negative. Can't imagine this would work.... we could be tested the day before we fly only to come into contact with someone and catch it. Also, would an Indian GP really take that much notice of the word of a British GP - for all they know it could be from a fake Dr! What do you think?

Haylo

Unless you have actually had the test, which is highly unlikely, no GP is going to issue that letter.

As you say, a "Certificate of Non Swine Fever" is useless, you could have picked up the virus at the health centre on your way from being tested!

I think the best thing to do is to not travel at all for a week if you have been in close contact with someone who has recently returned from Mexico and if you do just have a cold, take medication to mask the symptoms until you are out of the airport!

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Chels_B

Hi Claret,

I went through the screening yesterday and it is pretty minimal. They give you a form before customs, and all they ask is as follows:
A)Have you come from somewhere with confirmed cases of swine flu?
B)Have you had the flu in the past 10 days (or unexplaned cough/fever/flu symptoms etc).
C)Have you been around people with the flu in the last 10 days
D)Have you been in a hospital with confirmed cases of swine flu?
If you answer yes to B, C, or D, a letter is probably a good idea, because if you answer positively to these questions you will recieve further scrutiny. If you haven't recently had the flu, or you are not a health care worker, there should be no issue with you entering.

(Although I do find it rather ironic that all of the customs officials and screening officials are wearing surgical masks with out a proper seal around the nose and mouth, hence making them a useless placebo if an individual with the swine flu really comes through! That's just my take as an OH&S person though.

Nick-H

...They don;t actually know how germs get transmitted.

The mask is their badge of office.

Haylo

Thanks Chels, that's really useful to know.
Heh, I catch at least a nasty cold every time I fly to India, hopefully they don't screen people on the way back!

Scarily, it's true!

It was only when I started visiting India and discovered how much basic knowledge was lacking that I realised the extent that I took my education for granted.

claret

Thanks for that. My concerns are only regaridng the logistics of it all. My husband's friend wondered if a letter would help speed things up, but I think it would be easier and quicker just to take a test than explain some letter..... anyways we're both pretty healthy and have had no contact with anyone who has swine flu (to our knowledge and according to the BBC Yorkshire, Derbyshire etc are still swine flu free).

Thanks for explaining the sitaution. Seems a bit strange that everyone is happy to rely on the passenger to give up information!! I thought everyone would have to have some kind of test - hence the concern re logistics!

Haylo

The only available test takes several days to produce results, IGI Delhi is an incredibly busy airport, it would simply not be possible.

My guess is that only people who have answered yes to the "contact" questions and have a high fever will be quarantined.

Even then, measures are likely to be only to reassure travellers, they will be totally ineffective in terms of preventing spread of a pandemic. According to a scientist from the UK Health Protection agency, if 90% of travel into the UK was stopped before we had any cases here, it would delay the introduction of a pandemic by only two weeks. If 99.9% of journeys were stopped before any cases had been identified in the UK, in other words closing all ports and airports and stopping all legal travel, it would delay the introduction by only two months.

Nick-H

It is indeed true. A large percentage of Indian people think you cannot get sick in your own home or kitchen, and have no idea about how microbes get about.

OK, the survey was done by a disinfectant company, so hardly very disinterested, but it is confirmed by my experience.