Mandatory home quarantine for all international arrivals in India

All international passengers will now have to home quarantine for a week on arrival in India, the ministry of health and family welfare on Friday revised travel guidelines amid a surge in cases believed to be fuelled by Omicron. The highly transmissible variant of coronavirus is driving up cases globally and has triggered a worldwide alarm. The new guidelines will come into effect from January 11. The list of 'at-risk' countries has also been expanded as the list now includes all European countries including the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Israel, Congo, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia and Zambia. If anyone tests positive, their samples will be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. Those who test positive will be managed at an isolation facility and treated as per standard protocol. Respective states will have to then begin tracing the contacts of these passengers. However, if they are negative, they will have to self-monitor for the next seven days.

On completion of their home quarantine, travellers will undergo an RT-OCR test, the revised guideline said. Children under five are exempted from Covid testing. However, if they are found to be symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or while in home quarantine, they will be tested and treated according to protocol.