Zafar Mirza explains SOP for coronavirus screening at airports

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Responding to a question about why some patients weren't detected at airports, Dr Zafar Mirza said that some patients had been screened while others had not.

"This is not because of anyone's negligence," he said.

Mirza explained that for example if a person arrived from Italy and had the virus in their body but didn't have the symptoms when they arrive at the airport, they would pass through.

He said the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was that when someone arrives from a certain country, whether or not they have symptoms, their name will be noted and they will be given some instructions including contacting 1166.

Mirza said that some patients had called the helpline to share they had symptoms.

Alternatively, if someone has symptoms during the screening process, they will be sent to a hospital directly.

Watch the full interview here.

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