Flying in times of Covid-19: Quarantine rules vary in States/UTs…check them here for hassle-free travel

New Delhi: The outbreak of Covid-19 brought public transportation to a grinding halt, with govt putting brakes on operation of taxis, trains & flights.

After two months of lockdown, govt allowed resumption of domestic flights on May 25. However, travelling in times of Covid-19 pandemic has mandated the implementation of safety guidelines & preventive measures to contain the spread of virus.

Airlines have resorted to Covid-19 guidelines and so have the states in isolating and quarantining people on arrival. However, the measures remain different in different states, creating confusion among travelers.

States have independence to pick their own quarantine and isolation rules rather than following uniform set of rules. They have developed their own set of SOPs for isolating and quarantining people, flying from other city or abroad.

One common pre-requisite that all states have is that the passenger must have Aarogya Setu app downloaded on his mobile.

While most states announced institutional quarantine for passengers, if they show Covid-19 symptoms like cough or fever, others have mandated self-isolation for 2 to 4 weeks, even if the travelers are asymptomatic.

A detailed description of Quarantine & Isolation guidelines in States/UTs: (Updated on July 30)

1) Delhi

# Covid-19 test not compulsory at airport, thermal screening for all passengers

# For domestic passengers, 7 days Home Quarantine

# For International passengers, 7 days Institutional Quarantine followed by 7 days of home quarantine

2) Haryana

# Covid-19 test not compulsory at airport, thermal screening for all passengers

# 14 days of Home Quarantine for all passengers

3) Himachal Pradesh

# Covid-19 test not compulsory at airport, thermal screening for all passengers

# 14 days Institutional Quarantine for passengers arriving from Red Zone outside state

# 14 days Institutional Quarantine for passengers arriving from Any Zone outside state and showing Covid-19 like symptoms

# 14 days Home Quarantine for passengers arriving from Red Zone outside state and carrying Covid negative report

4) Jammu and Kashmir

# Covid-19 test COMPULSORY for all passengers, except Defence Personnel

# Institutional Quarantine for all passengers till tests results are available

# 14 days Home Quarantine even if test results are negative

5) Madhya Pradesh

# Thermal screening for all passengers at airport, Covid test to be done if found symptomatic

# Institutional Quarantine for all passengers till test results are available

# Stay in Covid Care Centre if test results are positive

6) Punjab

# Covid-19 test on passengers on random basis, thermal screening for all

# For International passengers, 7 days of Institutional Quarantine followed by 7 days of Home Quarantine

# For domestic passengers, 14 days of Home Quarantine

7) Chandigarh

# Covid-19 test on passengers on random basis, thermal screening for all

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all asymptomatic passengers

# If test result positive, passenger to be shifted to Isolation Centre

8) Uttar Pradesh

# Thermal screening of all passengers coming into state

# For International passengers, 7 days of Institutional Quarantine followed by 7 days of Home Quarantine

# For Domestic passengers, 14 days of Home Quarantine

# Exception – No quarantine if passenger exiting state within 7 days

9) Uttarakhand

# Covid-19 test on passengers on random basis, thermal screening for all

# 7 days Institutional Quarantine for passengers arriving from Red Zones followed by 7 days Home Quarantine

# 14 days Home Quarantine for passengers from Any Zone

10) Andaman & Nicobar Islands

# Covid-19 test for all passengers at the airport, thermal screening for all

# Institutional Quarantine for symptomatic passengers until tests are available

# 7 days Home Quarantine for passengers arriving into island

11) Assam

# Covid tests for passengers on arrival, thermal screening of all

# 2 days Institutional Quarantine followed by 8 days Home Quarantine  for all passengers

# Has long list of exceptions/exemptions to Quarantine

12) Bihar

# Thermal screening of all passengers at airport

# No Quarantine

13) Chhattisgarh

# Covid test for symptomatic passengers, thermal screening for all

# Institutional Quarantine for symptomatic passengers till results are available

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all Asymptomatic passengers

14) Jharkhand

# Thermal screening of all passengers at airport

# 14 days of Home Quarantine for all passengers

# Exception – Those exiting the state within next 72 hours

15) Manipur

# Covid-19 test during Institutional Quarantine, thermal screening for all

# 14 days Institutional Quarantine for all passengers

# 14 days Home Quarantine if test result is negative

16) Nagaland

# Thermal screening for all passengers at airport

# 14 days Institutional Quarantine followed by 14 days Home Quarantine for all passengers

17) Odisha

# Thermal screening for all passengers at airport

# 14 days Institutional Quarantine for all asymptomatic passengers returning to villages

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all asymptomatic passengers returning to urban areas

18) Tripura

# Covid-19 test for all passengers, thermal screening for all

# Institutional Quarantine for passengers who have foreign travel history in last 28 days

# 14 days Home Quarantine for other passengers

19) Meghalaya

# RT-PCR test for all passengers, thermal screening also

# 48 hours Institutional Quarantine for all passengers

# If test +ve, Covid facility stay ;   If test –ve, 14 days Home Quarantine

20) Mizoram

# Covid test for passengers opting for Home Quarantine, thermal screening for all

# 21 days of Institutional Quarantine for all passengers

21) West Bengal

# Covid-19 for symptomatic patients, thermal screening for all

# 14 days self-isolation for asymptomatic passengers

# For symptomatic passengers, state govt to decide on case-to-case basis

22) Goa

# Covid-19 test for all symptomatic passengers, thermal screening for all

# Institutional Quarantine for all symptomatic passengers

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all passengers

# Special guidelines for tourists

23) Gujarat

# Thermal screening for all passengers

# For International passengers, 7 days Institutional Quarantine followed by 7 days Home Quarantine

# Asymptomatic passengers are advised to monitor their self-health for 14 days

24) Madhya Pradesh

# Thermal screening for all passengers at airport

# 14 days Home Quarantine for passengers, if they develop Covid symptoms

# Exception – Those travelers exiting the state within 72 hours

25) Rajasthan

# Covid-19 test for symptomatic passengers, thermal screening for all

# 14 days voluntary Home Quarantine for all passengers

# Isolation centre for all symptomatic patients

26) Maharashtra

# Thermal screening for all passengers at airport

#  14 days Home Quarantine for all passengers

#  7 days Institutional Quarantine followed by 7 days Home Quarantine for International passengers

#  Guidelines vary to some extent in worst-hit cities of the state

27) Andhra Pradesh

# Covid testing for 10% of randomly selected people, thermal screening for all

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all passengers

# 7 days Institutional Quarantine followed by 7 days Home Quarantine for International passengers

28) Telangana

# Thermal screening for all passengers

# 7 days Institutional Quarantine  for International passengers followed by health monitoring

29) Karnataka

# Covid test for symptomatic passengers, those seeking exemption from Quarantine

# Thermal screening for all passengers at airport

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all asymptomatic passengers

30) Kerala

# Covid test for symptomatic passengers, thermal screening for all

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all passengers

# Quarantine exemption for those who are exiting the state within 7 days

31) Tamil Nadu

# Covid test for passengers arriving from Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra

# Thermal screening for all passengers at the airprort

# 14 days Home Quarantine for all passengers

# Institutional Quarantine for all symptomatic passengers till test results are available