New guidelines issued by Health Ministry for international arrivals to become effective from today

Union Health Ministry has issued a new list of guidelines for international arrivals, which will become effective from today.

According to the new guidelines, all travellers will have to submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) before the scheduled travel.

They should upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report and the test should have been conducted within 72 hours of undertaking the journey.

The guidelines say each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise. Airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in the Self- Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report.

At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening. On arrival, if the passengers are found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility as per health protocol and if tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol.

The guidelines say that on the basis of reciprocity, travellers from those countries which provide quarantine-free entry to vaccinated Indians are allowed certain relaxations on arrival. It also says children under five years of age are exempted from both pre and post-arrival testing.