NEW DELHI, Jan 9: With Omicron covid cases showing a steep rise all over the
world, India has made it compulsory for all international travellers coming
into the country to undergo a 7-day home quarantine. The new guidelines will
take effect from January 11, according to a notification issued by the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare. International travellers arriving through seaports/land
ports will also have to undergo the same protocol.
Those transiting via or starting from 'at-risk' countries will be informed
by airlines (or others as the case may be) that they will have to take the test for
covid on arrival and will undergo quarantine as per the protocol.
Travellers coming from specified countries at risk will undergo covid test
at the place of arrival. The testing fee will be paid by the traveller. If tested
positive for covid, stringent isolation protocols will be followed and if the
result is negative they can isolate themselves in home quarantine for 7 days
for observation.
The travellers will have to wait till the result is known for leaving the airport
or taking a connecting flight. Those testing negative will go in home quarantine
for 7 days and shall undertake another RT-PCR test on the 8th day. They will
also upload the result on the Air Suvidha portal. They will further self-monitor
their health for the next 7 days too. The samples of those testing positive
will also be sent for genome sequencing. Their contacts will be kept in monitored
home quarantine.
A self-declaration form has to be filled and uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal.
before starting the jpurney. A negative covid test report taken within 72 hours
of the start of journey also needs to be uploaded.
GO TO: Air Suvidha portal
SEE: Revised Guidelines
notification
Also SEE: Algorithm
for revised guidelines
Check: List of countries at risk
The following are the guidelines for travellers arriving from countries at
risk:
- Submission of sample for post-arrival covid test at the point of arrival
(self-paid).
- Such travellers will be required to wait for their test results at the arrival
airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.
- If tested negative they will follow home quarantine for 7 days and shall
undertake RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India
- Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test
for COVID-19 done on the 8th day on Air Suvidha portal (to be monitored by
the respective States/UTs).
- If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next 7 days.
- However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be
further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network.
- They shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down
standard protocol including contact tracing.
- The contacts of such positive case should be kept under home quarantine
monitored strictly by the concerned State Government as per laid down protocol.
The guidelines for travellers arriving from 'not-at-risk’ countries:
- A sub-section (2% of the total flight passengers) shall undergo post-arrival
testing at random at the airport on arrival.
- These 2% of such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned
airlines (preferably from different countries).
- Laboratories shall prioritize testing of samples from such travellers.
- All travellers (including those 2% who were selected for random testing
on arrival and were found negative) will undergo home quarantine for 7 days
and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India.
- Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test
for COVID-19 done on the 8th day on Air Suvidha portal (to be monitored by
the respective States/UTs).
- If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next 7 days.
- However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be
further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network.
- They shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down
standard protocol including contact tracing.
The new guidelines supersede all other previous guidelines, said the Ministry.