Updated COVID Guidelines for International Passengers: Govt scraps 7-day mandatory home quarantine, removes at-risk marking

Updated COVID Guidelines for International Passengers: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued revised COVID guidelines for international travellers on February 10, 2022. The government has removed the 7-day mandatory home quarantine guidelines for international passengers.

The revised guidelines for the international passengers recommend 14 days of self-monitoring post-arrival, as against the earlier seven days mandatory home isolation even after testing negative at the airport.

The updated guidelines for the international arrivals will come into effect from February 14, 2022.

The @MoHFW_INDIA has issued revised guidelines for International Arrivals ✈️

Guidelines to come in effect from 14th February.

Follow these diligently, stay safe & strengthen India's hands in the fight against #COVID19.

Main features include:

📖 https://t.co/J9e8ZJw3qw (1/6)

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) February 10, 2022

Revised Indian COVID Guidelines for International Passengers

1. All travellers will have to self-monitor their health for 14 days after arrival. 

2. If they develop symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, they should immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call the National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.

3. The latest guidelines also state that the mandatory RT-PCR report (taken 72 hrs before journey) is not required anymore if they have their full vaccination certificate.  

4. All international passengers have the option of uploading a negative RT-PCR report (taken 72 hrs before journey) or full vaccination certificate provided from selected 82 countries on a reciprocal basis. 

5. The government has also removed the demarcation of 'at risk' countries, marking for countries with high Omicron caseloads. With this, the need to give samples upon arrival from the at-risk countries has been dispensed with.

6. Two percent of the total passengers in the flight will undergo random testing at the airport. If found positive, the sample will be sent for Genome Sequencing. The contacts of such passengers will be identified and managed as per the protocol.

7. The contacts of the suspected case will include co-passenger seated in the same row and those seated three rows in front and three rows behind along with the identified cabin crew.

Get Updated Guidelines for International Passengers PDF here

Omicron COVID Variant

The highly transmissible Covid-19 variant- Omicron- was designated as the first new ‘variant of concern’ since the Delta Variant. The Omicron variant was detected first by medical experts in South Africa.