Revised guidelines for international arrivals issued

New Delhi: The government on Thursday issued a set of revised guidelines for international arrivals, under which travellers seeking exemption from institutional quarantine will need to submit a negative RT-PCR report 72 hours before undertaking the journey.

The India-bound passengers can also undergo COVID-19 testing at the airports where the provisions are available.

According to the guidelines issued by the Health ministry, passengers would need to give an undertaking on the portal or to the Ministry of Civil Aviation through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey, stating 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.

"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," it said.

For seeking exemption, they would need to apply to the online portal (HYPERLINK "http://www.newdelhiairport.in"www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding the flight to India. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final, it said.

"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," the guidelines said.

The guidelines stated that international passengers arriving without an RT-PCR negative certificate and wishing to seek exemption from institutional quarantine may also avail the facility to undergo testing at the airports where such provisions exist. "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," it said.

"The passengers who have been exempted from institutional quarantine will show the same to the respective state counters on their cell phones/other mode before being allowed home quarantine for 14 days," it said.

The remaining passengers shall be taken to suitable institutional quarantine facilities, to be arranged by the respective State/UT Governments to undergo mandatory seven days' institutional quarantine and seven days' home quarantine, it said.

These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for a minimum period of seven days, the guidelines said.

They will be tested as per ICMR protocol. If they are assessed as asymptomatic / pre-symptomatic/ very mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or isolated at a Covid Care Centre (both public and private facilities) as appropriate, it said.