All international travellers coming to India must quarantine for 7 days: Govt

Following a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the past few days, the Centre on Friday announced a mandatory 7-day quarantine for all international travellers coming to India. Inbound international passengers will be required to take a Covid-19 test at the airport upon arrival. If tested negative, they will be required to undergo home quarantine for 7 days. Those who test positive will be taken to an isolation facility.

A notification from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) said all international passengers entering India will be required to undertake a mandatory 7-day quarantine upon arrival in the country.

In a fresh set of guidelines, the ministry said, thermal screening of all inbound international passengers will be carried out upon arrival at Indian airports. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol.

All travellers from specified countries at risk will be tested upon arrival, the cost of which shall be borne by the passenger. The passenger will then have to wait for the test results before leaving or taking a connecting flight. If tested negative, they will be required to undergo home isolation for 7 days after which they will have to again take an RT-PCR on the 8th day.

The travellers will also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on 8th day on Air Suvidha portal, which will be monitored by the respective states or Union Territories.

If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next 7 days. However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. They shall be managed at an isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol including contact tracing mentioned in para. The contacts of such positive cases should be kept under home quarantine monitored strictly by the concerned state government as per laid down protocol.