The revised guidelines for international arrivals will be effective from November 22, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
India has done away with the requirement to fill out Air Suvidha form for people flying into India from foreign countries. The requirement to submit a negative RT-PCR report or details of the primary vaccination schedule has also been done away with for international arrivals, reported PTI.
The revised guidelines for international arrivals will be effective from November 22, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
Earlier, the guidelines had required that passengers arriving in India from overseas should fill up the Air Suvidha form. The form was introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The civil aviation ministry said recently that the use of masks was not compulsory during air travel but passengers should preferably use them. As per the MoHFW’s latest guidelines, air travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their country.
According to the ministry, the present guidelines are being revised in light of the sustained declining COVID-19 trajectory and significant advances being made in COVID-19 vaccination coverage both globally as well as in India
The latest guidelines supersede the guidelines issued in September. At that time those arriving from foreign countries were required to submit the Air Suvidha form. They also had to provide “details of negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report (the test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey) or submit details of full primary vaccination scheduled of COVID-19 vaccination”, as per the earlier guidelines. Only children under the age of 5 years were exempted from both pre and post-arrival testing, it had said.
On November 21, the MOHFW said that on arrival, the passengers should ensure physical distancing and thermal screening of all the arriving international passengers will be done by the health officials present at the point of entry. “The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated, taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocol”, it said.
The ministry also said that all travellers should self-monitor their health post-arrival. They should report to their “nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ state helpline number in case they have any symptoms suggestive”.
According to the ministry, the present guidelines are being revised in light of the sustained declining COVID-19 trajectory and significant advances being made in COVID-19 vaccination coverage both globally as well as in India.
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