Centre issues revised Covid-19 guidelines for international arrivals, No RT-PCR, quarantine

The Ministry of Health on Thursday issued revised Covid-19 guidelines for international arrivals, which will come into force from February 14. Travellers will no longer have to quarantine at home for a week, but need to self-monitor for 14 days.

In a major relaxation for foreign travellers, the demarcation of countries as ‘at risk’ and other classifications has been removed. Accordingly, the need to give samples on port of arrival and waiting till the result is obtained from 'at risk' countries has been dispensed with.

Besides uploading negative RT-PCR report (taken 72 hours prior to journey), travellers will now have the option to upload certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule provided from countries on a



reciprocal basis, the health ministry said.

The need for undertaking RT-PCR test on the eighth day and uploading the same on Air Suvidha portal has also been dispensed with.

Random sampling of 2 per cent of international arrivals from all countries will be undertaken on landing. The revised guidelines stated that travellers can give a sample and are allowed to leave the airport.

The mandate of 7 days home quarantine has been scrapped. Instead, travellers will conduct 14 days self monitoring post-arrival in India.

The government’s revised international travel guidelines come in the wake of the Omicron variant-fuelled Covid-19 wave plateauing and even subsiding in several countries around the world.