The Union Health Ministry on Thursday issued guidelines for international arrivals, in supersession of the ones issued on August 2. It said that all travellers should submit a self-declaration form on portal www.newdelhiairport.in at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel or physically after arrival at the respective health counters. It allowed the States to have any additional restrictions imposed with regard to quarantine and isolation as per their field assessment post arrival of passengers.
“They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. 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 to undergo facility / home quarantine/ self-monitoring of their health for 14 days, or as warranted,’’ said the Ministry. 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.
Submission of test report
Travellers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report. “This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs 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,’’ noted the Ministry.
The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India.
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International passengers arriving without an RT-PCR negative certificate and wishing to seek exemption from institutional quarantine may also avail the facility available at the airports to undergo RT-PCR testing (where such provisions exist).
On passengers opting for exemption from institutional quarantine, the Ministry noted that they shall undertake self-monitoring of their health and would be exempted from quarantine.
“International passengers arriving without RT-PCR negative certificate and not opting for RT PCR test at airport (if facility is available) /arriving at an airport where testing facility is not available will have to undergo mandatory 7 days’ institutional quarantine and 7 days’ home quarantine,’’ said the guidelines.
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International passengers arriving through seaports/land ports should also undergo the same protocol. If the facility for online registration was not available, passengers shall submit the self-declaration form to the authorities concerned of the Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival.
