In view of the significant decline in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country, the Andaman and Nicobar administration on Wednesday decided that fully vaccinated people are exempted from the requirement of carrying RT-PCR negative test reports to enter the union territory, an official said on Wednesday.

Such fully vaccinated individuals shall produce the final vaccination certificate at the origin airport/seaport in the mainland and Port Blair airport/ seaport, an order issued by the principal secretary, health, Dr V Candavelou said.

The order further said that all asymptomatic children below 5 years of age are exempted from carrying RT-PCR negative test reports and further RT-PCR testing at Port Blair Airport.

All other passengers - unvaccinated and partially vaccinated - shall have to produce an RT-PCR negative test report to travel to Port Blair from the mainland as in the practice now. The RT-PCR test should have been taken within 48-hours before the commencement of the journey, it said.

If a passenger on arrival is tested positive then, the prescribed quarantine protocol is to be followed, the order added.? Andaman and Nicobar Islands now has eight active COVID-19 cases, while 9,992 people have recovered from the disease so far. The union territory reported two new cases on Wednesday, taking the tally to 10,019.

With PTI inputs.