Covid: guidelines for overseas arrivals revised - Passengers have to fill in self-declaration forms on online portal that will require them to undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days

PTI   |   New Delhi   |   03.08.20  : The Union health ministry on Sunday issued a set of revised guidelines for international arrivals that will come into effect from August 8.

According to the guidelines, all travellers will need to give an undertaking on the online portal www.newdelhiairport.in that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

This will include seven days’ institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by seven days’ home isolation along 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 ministry said.

“If they wish to seek such exemption, they shall apply on the online portal at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the portal will be final.”

The travellers can also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival. This test should have been conducted within a 96-hour window before the journey.

The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration, the guidelines say.

Currently, only special passenger flights bringing back expatriates are being allowed from abroad.

“Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry at airport in India.”

Before they board their plane or ship, the passengers will be provided with a list of the dos and don’ts.

The guidelines advise all the passengers to download the Arogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

They add that only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board their planes or ships after thermal screening.

“Passengers arriving through the land borders will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, and only those who are asymptomatic will be enabled to cross the border into India.”

Passengers who have not filled in the self-declaration forms on the portal must do so in duplicate on board the flight or ship and hand over a copy to the health and immigration officials at the port of arrival.

“Alternatively, such travellers may submit a self-declaration form on the online portal at (the) arriving airport/ seaport/ land port... if such facility is available,” the guidelines say.

”While on board the flight or ship, required precautions such as wearing of masks, environmental hygiene, respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene are to be observed by airline/ ship staff, crew and all passengers.”

On arrival, the passengers should maintain social distancing while getting off their plane or ship.

“Thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the airport/ seaport/ land port.”

Passengers who are found symptomatic during screening will be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility.

After the thermal screening, the passengers who have been exempted from institutional quarantine must furnish the document on their cell phones or other devices 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/ UT governments. If (during the seven-day institutional quarantine) they are assessed as asymptomatic/ pre-symptomatic/ very mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or isolated in the Covid care centre (both public and private facilities) as appropriate.”

Those with mild, moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated Covid-19 health facilities.

Those testing negative will be advised to isolate themselves at home and self-monitor their health for seven days. If any symptoms develop, they must inform the district surveillance officer or the state or national call centre (1075).

However, the guidelines say, the states can develop their own protocol on quarantine and isolation after the passengers’ arrival in their territory.