Centre removes demarcation of ‘at-risk’ countries - Read Revised Guidelines Here

Amid a significant drop in the coronavirus cases across the nation, the Health Ministry on Thursday, February 9, has issued revised guidelines for International arrivals in India.

With this, the Centre has removed demarcation of ‘at-risk’ countries, which were specified during the onset of the Omicron variant, and recommended self-monitoring for 14 days as opposed to the current 7-day home quarantine rule.

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

The new SOPs will come into effect from February 14, the Union Health Ministry said. Based on the risk assessment, this shall be reviewed from time to time.

Here are the detailed guidelines:

i. All travellers should must submit complete and factual information in self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel, including last 14 days travel details.

ii. Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey or certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule.

iii. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise.

iv. They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority any post arrival requirement to undergo home/institutional quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted.

Before Boarding

• Do’s and Don'ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travellers by the airlines/agencies concerned.
• Airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in all the information in the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report or COVID-19 vaccination certificate of having completed the primary vaccination schedule.
• At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening.
• All passengers shall be advised to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

During Travel

• In-flight announcement about COVID-19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports and in flights and during transit.
• During in-flight crew shall ensure that COVID appropriate behaviour is followed at all times.
• If any passenger reports symptoms of COVID-19 during flight, he/she shall be isolated as per protocol.
• Proper in-flight announcements should be made by the airlines regarding the testing requirements and people who need to undergo such testing to avoid any congestion at the arrival airports.

On arrival

• De-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing.
• Thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the airport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff.
• All travellers will self-monitor their health for next 14 days of arrival. If travellers under self-health monitoring, develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.
• The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol.

The following protocol post arrival shall also be followed:

a. A sub-section (2% of the total passengers in the flight) shall undergo random post- arrival testing at the airport on arrival.

b. Such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport.

c. If such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network.

d. They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol.

International travellers arriving at seaports/land ports

• International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently.
• Such travellers shall submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival.