Covid-19: Centre issues fresh guidelines for international arrivals 

According to the latest Standard Operating Procedure, all travellers should submit complete and factual information in self-declaration form on the online Air

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued fresh guidelines for international arrivals with effect from February 14. The new set of rules, which will supersede those issued after January 20, were issued since the global and Indian growth trajectory of COVID-19 pandemic continues with regional variations, and because of the fact that economic activities need to be taken up in an unhindered manner, the MoFHW said.

According to the latest Standard Operating Procedure, all travellers should submit complete and factual information in self-declaration form on the online Air

Suvidha portal (https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration) before the scheduled travel, including last 14 days travel details.

Apart from that, they should upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report (conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey) or a certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of COVID-19 vaccination.

Each passenger should also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority any post arrival requirement to undergo home/institutional quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted.

Airlines have to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in all the information in the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report or Covid -19 vaccination certificate of having completed the primary vaccination schedule.

At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening. If any passenger reports symptoms of COVID-19 during flight, he/she will have to be isolated as per protocol.

On arrival, passengers found to be symptomatic during screening should be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts have to be identified and managed as per laid down protocol.

A sub-section (2% of the total passengers in the flight) will have to 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 then be allowed to leave the airport.

If such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. All travellers will self-monitor their health for next 14 days of arrival.

International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently. Such travellers shall submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival.

Children under 5 years of age are exempted from both pre- and post-arrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the period of self-monitoring period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol.

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