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Coronavirus: AI clears air over quarantine rules for India-bound travellers

Dubai - Also, a list of things to keep in mind when flying amid Covid.

India’s budget carrier Air India Express and Air India have updated the list of travel regulations for international travellers after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released a new set of guidelines on November 5.

On Saturday, a diplomat with the Consulate- General of India in Dubai told Khaleej Times that all India-bound travellers can be exempted from institutional quarantine upon arrival as long as they provide a ‘printable’ negative RT-PCR report and have registered on the online portal www.newdelhiairport.in 72 hours before travel. "SMS texts (reports) are not widely accepted in airports across India," said Neeraj Agarwal, Consul - Press, Information, Culture at the Consulate.

“Instead, the passengers are required to undergo 14 days of home quarantine or ‘self-monitoring of health’, as warranted,” said the Ministry.

Though the ministry has not specified the exact terms of ‘self-monitoring’, it is understood that he or she must visit a local health facility in case they show any symptoms of Covid-19. Those who submit a negative test report for quarantine exemption must ensure that the test had been taken at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel, according to the guidelines.

Those taking connecting domestic flight

“Arriving international passengers who want exemption from institutional quarantine or need to take a connecting flight to domestic destinations in India will have an option of getting an RT-PCR/ True Nat/ CBNAA T (including GeneXpert) testing done at the entry airport, wherever available,” said Air India Express in its blog.

“If the test results are negative in the report, the passenger will be permitted to take connecting flight to other domestic destinations in India without needing to be quarantined at the city of entry airport,” it added.

Other international arriving passengers tested negative and exiting from the city of entry airport would be exempted from the institutional quarantine, permitting them to proceed for home quarantine, as per the guidelines of State Government concerned.

Keep these in mind:

Before Travel

Submit self-declaration form on the online portal www.newdelhiairport.in at least 72 hours before travel or physically after arrival.

Give an undertaking to abide by the government rules to undergo facility/ home quarantine/ self-monitoring of health for 14 days or as warranted

For Exemptions

Apply online on www.newdelhiairport.in for exemption from institutional quarantine at least 72 hours before boarding. An exemption can be sought only for reasons such as pregnancy, death in the family, serious illness and parents with children of 10 years. Fourteen-day home quarantine may be permitted in these cases.

Submit a negative RT-PCR test report – conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal. It could also be produced upon arrival.

Submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report. Passenger will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise.

Passengers without an RT-PCR negative certificate wishing to seek exemption from institutional quarantine may also undergo testing at the airport, wherever available.

Seven days' institutional quarantine and seven days' home quarantine is mandatory for passengers arriving in India without an RT-PCR report and are not opting for a test at the airport where the facility is available or is arriving at an airport where a testing facility is not available.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com