New guidelines issued for travellers bound for India
dubai — India-bound travellers — who are seeking exemption from institutional quarantine but do not have a negative PCR Covid-19 test report at hand — may now take the test upon their arrival at the airport, according to the latest guidelines of the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. However, not all airports in India have this testing facility.
Passengers who will be arriving without a test result and do not have the option to get screened at the airport will have to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine and seven days of home quarantine.
The Indian ministry issued the latest rules on November 5, superseding the rules set on August 2.
According to the guidelines, the 14-day home quarantine may be permitted “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”.
Those who are seeking exemption from institutional quarantine under such circumstances shall apply to the online portal ( www. newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding. “The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final.”
Travellers may also apply for this exemption by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report online, it added. The test should have been conducted within 72 hours before the flight.
“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,” said the ministry.
The new guidelines also stated that after thermal screening, “passengers who have the RT
PCR negative certificates with them shall be exempt from quarantine and shall be allowed to leave and undertake self-monitoring of their health for 14 days”.
Prior to boarding
Before boarding their flights, all passengers are advised to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices. “At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening.”