New guidelines issued for international passengers arriving in India

The Centre has issued a new set of guidelines for international passengers arriving in India amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These guidelines, released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, will be coming into effect from 8 August (from 00:01 hours).

As per the new guidelines, all international passengers arriving in India should submit self-declaration form via the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel. They should also give an undertaking on the portal that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days i.e. 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home with self-monitoring of health. Only for compelling reasons/ cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below, home quarantine
may be permitted for 14 days. If the passengers wish to seek such exemption, they shall apply to the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final, the guidelines stated.

Travelers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival. This test should have been conducted within 96 hours prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India.

Also, it has been mentioned that at the time of boarding the flight/ ship, only asymptomatic travelers will be allowed to board after thermal screening. Upon arrival in India, passengers found to be symptomatic during the screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. Post thermal screening, the passengers who have been exempted from institutional quarantine (decision as indicated on the online portal in advance) will show the same to the respective State Counters on their cell phones/other mode before being allowed home quarantine for 14 days. The remaining passengers shall be taken to suitable institutional quarantine facilities, to be arranged by the respective State/ UT Governments. These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for a minimum period of 7 days. They shall be tested as per ICMR protocol.

If they test positive, they shall be assessed clinically:

a. If they are assessed as asymptomatic / pre-symptomatic/ very mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or isolated in the Covid Care Centre (both public & private facilities) as appropriate.

b. Those having mild/ moderate/ severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated Covid Health facilities and managed accordingly.

If found negative, they shall be advised to further isolate themselves at home and self-monitor their health for 7 days.

The new guidelines also make provision for the states to develop their own protocol with regard to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment post arrival of passengers in the state concerned.