Safety at airports

The health and safety situation in airports needs to be improved in line with local and international guidelines. The new variant of Covid-19 invaded Pakistan via international travellers, especially those coming from the UK. While a majority of the airlines which are coming to Pakistan are screening passengers and have asked for pre-flight coronavirus tests, they are not ensuring in-flight physical distancing. The risk of transmission of the virus is high when passengers are boarding or disembarking the plane. A viral video on social media highlights the scene at the Lahore airport where travellers returning from the UK and Europe flouted all SOPs while leaving the airport. A majority of the people were without a face mask.

There should be the dedicated staff at all airports to ensure that all passengers are maintaining a two-metre distance and are wearing face masks. There should be highly visible social distancing signs on the floor to make people follow all SOPs. Passengers should leave the airport in a timely manner so that there are no unnecessary crowds. These measures are easy to implement and will prevent the further spread of the virus in these difficult times.

Dr Aaisha Khan

Lahore