India announces new guidelines for international passenger arrivals

India announces new guidelines for international passenger arrivals

From Krishnan Nayar

NEW DELHI, 7th January 2022 (WAM) – India today decided to impose tighter restrictions on international travellers arriving at its airports and other ports of entry beginning 11th January to contain rising infections of COVID-19.

All arriving passengers will have to quarantine themselves at home for a week from 11th January notwithstanding their port of origin.

At present, only travellers arriving from countries with a high incidence of COVID-19 cases are being compulsorily tested for Coronavirus infections.

In all such cases, those found negative are quarantined at home for a week while those found positive are sent to institutional quarantine.

Two per cent of all arrivals will continue to be selected for random testing at airports.

Under the new guidelines announced by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare here today, all others will have to take an RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival in India after completing one week of home quarantine.

The results of these tests will have to be uploaded on a government portal and will be monitored by local governments where they reside.

Children under five years of age are exempt from both arrival and post-arrival testing unless they are found to be symptomatic for COVID-19.