New Delhi: The Centre came up Sunday with a fresh set of guidelines for inbound international passengers, wherein the quarantine norms have been tweaked. The new norms will come into effect August 8.
The new rules say that international travellers may seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report for COVID-19 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,” said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines.
Further, each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report. The passenger will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry in India.
Further, all travellers will have to submit a self-declaration form on the online portal – www.newdelhiairport.in – at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel.
The passengers should also give an undertaking on the portal that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days. This will comprise seven days paid institutional quarantine at own cost. It will be followed by seven 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,” the guidelines informed.
The ministry said that thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers at the airport, seaport and landport. Passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility as per health protocol.
Post thermal screening, the passengers who have been exempted from institutional quarantine will show the same to the respective state counters on their cell phones or other modes 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 or Union Territory governments.
The guidelines also said that states can develop their own protocol with regard to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment post arrival of passengers.
