India has issued ‘Guidelines for International Arrivals’ owing to the sudden rise in COVID cases in China, the US and some other countries. The new guidelines will come into effect from Saturday, 24 December.
- All travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their Country.
- Any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol i.e. the said passenger should be wearing mask, isolated and
segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow up treatment. - De-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing. Thermal screening should be done in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the point of entry.
The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated, taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocol. - A sub-section (2% of the total passengers in the flight) shall undergo random post arrival testing at the airport on arrival. Such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport thereafter. If such travellers’ samples are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol.
Earlier in the day, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya made a statement in Parliament and said India has started two per cent random sampling of international travellers coming to the country and may consider making it mandatory for all if necessary.