Children under 12 exempted from COVID-19 PCR test, says Air India Express

Our Correspondent
Air India Express has announced that children under 12 who fly with it from India to the UAE are now exempt from the mandatory COVID-19 PCR test.
“A valid negative COVID-19 PCR test, from a government-approved laboratory, no older than 96 hours prior to departure is required for travel back to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. For children below 12 years, COVID-19 PCR Test is not mandatory,” the airline posted on its blog. The airline has confirmed this to passengers on Twitter as well.
“As per the recent update, it is mandatory only for passengers above 12 years of age. But please check out our blog often to know the recent updates as it may change accordingly,” it tweeted in reply to a passenger on July 20.
The exemption given to young children is likely to give some relief to parents of young children who were concerned about taking them to testing centres that are either far from their homes or crowded, with the danger of contracting COVID-19 at the centres.