International travellers arriving in India who tests positive for COVID-19 will not mandatorily be managed at an isolation facility and will be treated/isolated as per the laid down standard protocol.
According to the revised Guidelines for International Arrivals’ released on Thursday, the new norm would apply from 22 January till further order. At the same time, the rest of the provisions have remained the same in the revised guidelines.
The existing guidelines mandate that travellers from any country, including those considered at-risk, shall be managed at an isolation facility and treated as per standard protocol.
However, the revised guidelines removed the clause that mandated staying at an isolation facility upon arrival.
Travellers from specified Countries at risk:
- Submission of sample for post-arrival COVID-19 test* at the point of arrival (self-paid). Such travellers will be required to wait for their test results at the arrival airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.
- If tested negative, they will follow home quarantine for 7 days and shall undertake RTPCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India
- Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on the 8th day on the Air Suvidha portal (to be monitored by the respective States/UTs).
- 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 the INSACOG laboratory network.
- They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol.
- The contacts of such positive cases should be kept under home quarantine monitored strictly by the concerned State Government as per laid down protocol. Travellers from Other Countries
- A sub-section (2% of the total flight passengers) shall undergo post-arrival testing at random at the airport on arrival.
- this 2% of such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries).
- Laboratories shall prioritize testing of samples from such travellers.
- All travellers (including those 2% who were selected for random testing on arrival and were found negative) will undergo home quarantine for 7 days and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India.
- Travelers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on 8th day on Air Suvidha portal (to be monitored by the respective States/UTs).
- 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 treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol.
If travellers under home quarantine or self-health monitoring develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19 on re-testing, they will immediately selfisolate and report to their nearest health facility or call the National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.
