India to lift quarantine requirement for international travellers from today
However, they will have to produce a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report. These guidelines for international arrivals supersede all others issued on and after February 17 this year, the Union health ministry has said.
The ministry said, “The global trajectory of Covid-19 pandemic continues to decline with certain regional variations. The need to monitor the continuously changing nature of virus and the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) must still remain in focus.”
It added, “The existing guidelines (issued on 17th February 2021 with subsequent addendums) for international arrivals in India have been formulated taking a risk-based approach. In view of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, the existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been reviewed.”
The SOPs are:
1. If partially / not vaccinated, travellers need to undertake measures which include submission of sample for post-arrival Covid-19 test at point of arrival, after which they will be allowed to leave the airport, home quarantine for 7 days, re-test on 8th day of arrival in India and if negative, further self-monitor their health for next 7 days.
2. New guidelines provide protocols to be complied with international travellers as well those to be followed by airlines, points of entry for risk profiling of passengers.
3. SOPs shall be valid from Monday. Based on risk assessment, this document shall be reviewed from time to time.
4. While planning for travel, all travellers should submit a self-declaration form on online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel and upload a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to the journey.
5. All passengers shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of report, and will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise.
6. The guidelines stated, “Travellers from countries excluding those countries at risk will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days’ post-arrival. This is applicable to travellers from all countries including countries with which reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved Covid-19 vaccines also exist.”
7. If travellers who are under home quarantine / self-health monitoring develop signs and symptoms suggestive of Covid-19 or test positive for Covid-19 on re-testing, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility / call the national helpline number (1075) or state helpline.