Centre relaxes COVID-19 regulations for its international travellers at all points of entry. The new guidelines include the scrapping of the mandatory quarantine period and pre-departure RT-PCR tests. By Yagnoseni Das
The Health Ministry of India has issued revised guidelines with the biggest relaxations yet, for all international arrivals on Thursday. As per the guidelines, the 14 day quarantine period that was mandatory before is now scrapped, and a seven-day self-monitoring period will be in effect for international passengers. In addition to this, the mandatory pre-departure RT-PCR test is no longer required for fully vaccinated travellers coming in from 82 different countries.
14 days Self-Monitoring post-arrival as against 7 days Home Quarantine as was mandated earlier. (5/6)
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) February 10, 2022
International arrivals at seaports and land ports will be required to undergo the same protocol as the airports. However, online registration is not available for passengers currently. Only two percent of the total passengers will have to undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport. They will be asked to submit their samples and leave.
Need for undertaking RT-PCR test on 8th day & uploading the same on Air Suvidha portal is dispensed with. (6/6)
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) February 10, 2022
Further, the ministry listed 82 countries and regions that are allowed to upload vaccination certificates and skip the mandatory testing rule. The list of the countries includes Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and The USA, New Zealand, Switzerland, Israel, Bangladesh, Iran, Mexico, and the Netherlands among many others, as per a report by The Business Standard.
Mansukh Mandaviya, Health Miniter of India had earlier tweeted that the demarcation of ‘at at risk’ countries and other countries have been removed.
As per the new guidelines, upon arrival, passengers who are symptomatic for COVID-19 should immediately be isolated and be taken to the nearest medical facility. Two per cent of the passengers in the flight will also undergo random testing. And if tested positive, samples of such passengers shall be sent for Genome Sequencing.
Contacts of such cases are the identified cabin crew, the co-passengers seated in the same row, three rows in the front and three rows behind, stated the new guidelines. The new guidelines will be in effect from February 14.
Related: Have Business In The Maldives? You Can Now Enter The Island Nation Without A Visa
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