Everything was back to normal like before and people could finally breathe fresh air without masks. But the happiness of returning back to normal did not seem to last for long as COVID-19-positive cases are increasing in some countries. Once again, people are experiencing the coronavirus scare. And to control the rising cases since the beginning, the Ministry of Health has issued some travel guidelines for international visitors.
Remember These New Travel Guidelines If You Are Travelling To India From Abroad
In the wake of the sudden surge in the spread of coronavirus, the Ministry of Health has initiated some rules and guidelines for travellers entering India from foreign countries. As shared by the Ministry, they are revising the current rules and regulations for international travellers and these changes are getting effective from 24 December 2022. So let’s take a quick look at the travel guidelines:
- Vaccination is a must and every passenger needs to follow this according to the approved primary schedule of vaccination against the virus.
- Passengers need to follow all the precautionary rules of the current situation made during the in-flight announcements. This can be about wearing masks.
- If any passenger experiences any sort of COVID-19 symptoms while flying, they will need to wear masks, maintain isolation, and stay in an isolation facility for any treatment.
Rules To Follow After Landing In India:
- Thermal screening is a must for every traveller. Health officials will be doing the thermal screening once the passengers arrive.
- If any traveller is found symptomatic at this time, they will soon be rushed to the medical facility and kept in isolation, as per the new travel guidelines.
Also, according to the new travel guidelines, 2% of the passengers on the flight will be following random testing after arriving at the airport. Airlines will be identifying the passengers for the testing. Once they submit their samples, they will leave the airport and travel towards their destination. If the results turn out positive, these samples will be sent to the INSACOG laboratory network.
International passengers need to self-monitor their present health and need to update their health facilities. Else, they can even dial 1075 (the National helpline number) or the State Helpline Number if they feel some symptoms.
The process of random testing is not applicable to children below the age of 12 years. But if they see symptoms after arrival or while self-monitoring, they will need to go for testing and follow the guidelines.
The number of positive cases is seeing a huge rise in Brazil, China, Japan, South Korea, and the US. And as per the reports, the situation is worsening with the insufficient number of hospital beds and queues of patients waiting outside the hospital.
Cover Image Courtesy: Media Library