NEW DELHI: Passengers flying into India from August 8 can skip 14-day institutional quarantine if they submit a Covid-19 negative test report, as per fresh guidelines issued by the Centre on Sunday.
The test should have been conducted within 96 hours of undertaking the journey and passengers submitting false or forged medical reports will be prosecuted, the guidelines said.
Meanwhile, those coming to India due to compelling reasons/cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below from next Saturday can now opt for home quarantine for 14 days, instead of seven-day paid institutional quarantine followed by seven-day home quarantine.

“If they wish to seek such exemption, they shall apply to the online portal at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final,” as per the guidelines issued by the Union health ministry for international arrivals.
The guidelines will come into effect on August 8.

About travellers coming with a negative test report, the guidelines say: “Travellers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival. This test should have been conducted within 96 hours prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India.”

The guidelines state that passengers should submit a self-declaration form on the online portal at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel and also give an undertaking on the portal 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.
Before boarding the aircraft to India, all passengers are advised to download the Arogya Setu app on their mobile phones. At the time of boarding the flight/ ship, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening. 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, the guidelines said.
It added that during travel on board the flight/ship, required precautions such as wearing of masks, environmental hygiene, respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene are to be observed by airline/ship staff, crew and all passengers.”

On arrival, symptomatic passengers shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility.
“Post-thermal screening, the passengers who have been exempted from institutional quarantine (decision as indicated on the online portal in advance) will show the same to the respective state counters on their cell phones/other mode before being allowed home quarantine for 14 days,” the guidelines say.
Other passengers shall be taken to suitable institutional quarantine facilities, to be arranged by the respective state/UT governments, and will be kept there at least for seven days.
“If they test positive, they shall be assessed clinically. If they are assessed as asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic/very mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or isolated in the Covid Care Centre (both public & private facilities) as appropriate. Those having mild/moderate/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,” it adds.
In case any symptoms develop, such travellers shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre (1075).
The health ministry said that states can develop their own protocols on quarantine and isolation as per their assessment post arrival of passengers.
Watch Covid-19: Fresh guidelines for international passengers out