New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday issued guidelines for international travel, which includes 14-day quarantine mandatory for international arrivals. Out of the 14 days, 7-days of institutional quarantine at own cost followed by 7 days of home isolation.
In cases of human distress, serious illness, death in the family, children below 10 years or pregnancy, home quarantine of 14 days may be permitted. Aarogya Setu app shall be mandatory during this period. The same rules apply for those arriving through land borders as well.
Guidelines issued by the govt for international arrivals
i. Before boarding, all travellers shall give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory
quarantine for 14 days – 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7
days isolation at home with self-monitoring of health.
ii. Only for exceptional and compelling reasons such as cases of human distress, pregnancy,
death in family, serious illness and parent(s) accompanied by children below 10 years, as
assessed by the receiving states, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days. Use of
Aarogya Setu app shall be mandatory in such cases.
iii. Dos and Don’ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travelers by the agencies concerned.
iv. All passengers shall be advised to download Arogya Setu app on their mobile devices.
v. At the time of boarding the flight/ ship, only asymptomatic travelers will be allowed to board
after thermal screening.
vi. 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.
vii. Self-declaration form in duplicate shall be filled by the person in the flight/ship and a copy of
the same will be given to Health and Immigration officials present at the airport/ seaport/
Iandport. The form may also be made available on Aarogya Setu app.
viii. Suitable precautionary measures such as environmental sanitation and disinfection shall be
ensured at the airports as well as within the flights.
ix. During boarding and at the airports, all possible measures to ensure social distancing to be
ensured.
x. Suitable announcement about COVID-19 including precautionary measures to be followed
shall be made at airports/port and in flights/ships and during transit.
xi. While on board the flight/ ship, required precautions such as wearing of masks, environmental
hygiene, respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene etc. are to be observed by airline/ ship staff, crew
and all passengers.
xii. On arrival, thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the
Health officials present at the airport/ seaport/ Iandport.
xiii. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and
taken to medical facility as per health protocol.
xiv. The remaining passengers shall be taken to suitable institutional quarantine facilities, to be
arranged by the respective State/ UT Governments.
xv. These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for a minimum period of 7 days.
They shall be tested as per ICMR protocol available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Revisedtestingguidelines.pdf
If they test positive, they shall be assessed clinically.
a. If they are assessed as mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or isolated in
the Covid Care Centre (both public & private facilities) as appropriate.
b. Those having moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated COVID
Health facilities and managed accordingly.
If found negative, they shall be advised to further isolate themselves at home and self-monitor
their health for 7 days.
xvi. In case, any symptoms develop they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the
state/national call center (1075).
NOTE: States can also develop their own protocol with regards to quarantine and isolation
as per their assessment.
