Planning to visit India from Canada? Here are the revised guidelines

The Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) published the revised guidelines (prepared using a risk-based approach) for international arrivals in India in light of the World Health Organization’s classification of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.529; named Omicron).

Considering the variant a major concern, the MoHFW requires all international visitors to India to follow all protocols beginning January 11, 2022 (00.01 IST) and continuing until further orders are issued.

A.1. Planning for Travel

• Travelers need to submit complete and factual information in a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha Portal before the scheduled travel, including the last 14 days’ travel details.
• Travelers need to upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. The test should have been conducted within 72 hrs. prior to undertaking the journey.
  
• It is mandatory for all travelers to submit a declaration confirming the authenticity of the report, and if this is not done, they will face criminal charges.
• Travelers need to give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they will abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergo home/institutional quarantine/self-health monitoring, as called for.
• Continuing with the earlier approach, travelers from certain specified Countries (based on the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in those Countries) are identified for additional follow-up. These include the need for additional measures as detailed in para (A.6.) below.
• All travelers who need to undertake to test on arrival should preferably pre-book the test online on Air Suvidha Portal, to facilitate timely testing.

A.2. Before Boarding

• ">Passengers flying from or transiting through at-risk countries  should be informed that they will be subjected to post-arrival testing, quarantine if negative, and strict isolation protocols if positive, among other things, as mentioned in para ( A.6. ).
• ">The airlines/agencies involved must provide travelers with Do’s and Don’ts along with their tickets.
• ">Only passengers who have completed the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded a negative RT-PCR test report will be allowed to board.
• ">Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the flight after thermal screening.
• ">It is strongly recommended that all passengers download the Aarogya Setu app to their mobile devices.
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A.3. During Travel

• At airports, on flights, and during transit, an in-flight announcement about COVID-19 must be made, including the precautionary measures to be followed.
• During the flight, the crew must ensure to follow COVID guidelines at all times.
• If a passenger shows COVID-19 symptoms while on board, he or she will be isolated according to protocol.
• To avoid any congestion at the arrival airports, airlines should make appropriate in-flight announcements about the testing requirements and people who must undergo such testing.

A.4. On Arrival

• De-boarding should be carried out with care to ensure social distancing.
• The health officials stationed at the airport will conduct thermal screenings on all passengers. The online self-declaration form must be presented to the airport health staff.
• Passengers who are found to be symptomatic during screening will be isolated and taken to a medical facility in accordance with health protocol. If they test positive, their contacts will be identified and dealt with according to protocol.

A.5. Travelers from certain high-risk countries will comply with the protocol described below as mentioned in paragraphs A.1. (c) and A.2. (a).

• At the point of arrival, submit a sample for a post-arrival COVID-19 test* (self-paid).
• Such passengers will be required to wait for the results of their tests at the destination airport before departing or connecting flight.
• If they test negative, they will be placed under home quarantine for 7 days and will be required to self-monitor their health for the next 7 days before undergoing an RTPCR test on the 8th day of their arrival in India*.
  
• Travelers must also upload the results of a repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 performed on the eighth day to the Air Suvidha portal (which will be monitored by the respective States/UTs).
• If such travelers test positive, their samples should be sent to the INSACOG laboratory network for genomic testing.
• They will be isolated and treated according to the established standard protocol, which includes contact tracing as mentioned in A.4. (c). point.
• The contacts of such a positive case should be placed under strict home quarantine by the state government, as per protocol.

A.6. Travelers from countries other than those listed in paragraphs A.1. (c) and A.2. (a) will follow the protocol outlined below.

• At the airport, a random subset of passengers (2 % of total flight passengers) will be subjected to post-arrival testing.
• The airlines in question must identify the 2% of passengers in each flight who fall into this category (preferably from different countries).
• The testing of samples from such travelers will be prioritized by laboratories.
• All travelers (including the 2% who were randomly tested on arrival and were found negative) will be subjected to home quarantine for 7 days and will be required to self-monitor their health for the next 7 days before undergoing an RTPCR test on the 8th day of their arrival in India*.
• Travelers must also upload the results of a repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 performed on the eighth day to the Air Suvidha portal (which will be monitored by the respective States/UTs).
• If such travelers are found to be positive, their samples should be sent to the INSACOG laboratory network for further genomic testing.
• They will be housed in an isolation facility and treated according to the established standard protocol, which includes the contact tracing described in A.4. (c) point.

A.7. Travelers under Home Quarantine

• If travelers under home quarantine or self-health monitoring develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 or re-test positive for COVID-19, they should self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call the National Helpline Number (1075) or State Helpline Number.

A.8. Arrivals of International Passengers at Seaports and Land Ports

• International passengers arriving at seaports/land ports will be subjected to the same procedures as those described above, with the exception that online registration is not currently available for such passengers.
• On arrival, such travelers must submit the self-declaration form to the concerned Government of India authorities at seaports/land ports.
• (Children under 5 years of age are exempted from both pre- and post-arrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol.)
• #(Co-passengers seated in the same row, three rows in front and three rows behind, as well as identified cabin crew, are all possible contacts in the suspect case. In addition, all community contacts of travelers who tested positive (during the home quarantine period) will be quarantined for 14 days and tested according to ICMR protocol.).