The government made home quarantine for seven days mandatory for all international passengers and asked them to go for an RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India
India tightened travel norms for international travellers in the wake of a growing number of Covid-19 cases globally. The government made home quarantine for seven days mandatory for all international passengers and asked them to take an RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India.
The restrictions came in the wake of the rising number of Covid-19 globally. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 9.5 million new Covid-19 cases were reported from around the world during December 27-January 2. The cases are growing every day, forcing the governments to monitor and impose restrictions.
In an advisory issued to international travellers, the government said, the travellers have to upload the results of a repeat RT-PCR test for Covid-19 done on the 8th day on the Air Suvidha portal.
Travellers found negative in the RT-PCR test have to self-monitor their situation and, if found positive, would be managed at an isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol, including contact tracing.
The latest advisory suggests home quarantined travellers under self-monitoring to immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility if they develop any Covid-19 symptoms test positive on e-testing. They have been suggested to call the country’s national helpline number (1075) or their state helpline number. These numbers are available on the Internet.
TRAVELLERS, IN GENERAL, SHOULD KEEP THE FOLLOWING UNDER CONSIDERATION:
1) Take an RT-PCR test 72 hours before starting journey to India.
2) Keep Vaccination Certificate ready
3) Upload all necessary documents on the Air Suwidha portal
4) 14-day travel history
5) Download the Indian government’s contact tracing app Aarogya Setu on their mobile devices.
ON ARRIVAL AT ANY AIRPORT IN INDIA, THEY SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THE FOLLOWING:
1) Every passenger has to undergo thermal screening. Symptomatic passengers would be isolated immediately and taken to a medical facility. If found positive, they will be managed as per laid down protocol.
2) Countries like the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, Ghana, China, Mauritius, Tanzania, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong and Israel come under ‘At-risk countries’ as per the December 9, 2021 advisory of the Government of India.
3) Passengers from ‘At-risk countries’ have to submit a sample for post-arrival self-paid Covid-19 test at arrival. They will need to wait for their test results at the arrival airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.
4) If the report comes ‘Negative’, they can leave the airport or proceed for a connecting flight.
5) They have to follow the seven-day home quarantine protocol and an RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India.
6) Children below the age of five years are exempted from both pre-and post-arrival tests. However, children found symptomatic on arrival or during home quarantine have to undergo proper testing and treatment.
The travel protocol for International travellers using seaports or land ports is the same as air travellers.
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