India / Govt relaxes guidelines for int'l arrivals, exempts kids under 5 from COVID test

NEW DELHI: The Centre has exempted children under 5 years of age from pre- and post-arrival testing for covid-19, as per latest guidelines for international arrivals issued on Thursday.

The guidelines, however, said if found symptomatic for covid-19 on arrival or during home quarantine period, they (children under 5 years) shall undergo testing and treated as per established protocol.

The government said global trajectory of covid-19 pandemic continues to decline with certain regional variations. The need to monitor the continuously changing nature of virus and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) must remain in focus.

The existing guidelines--issued on 17 February 2021 with subsequent addendums--for international arrivals in India were formulated taking a risk-based approach. In view increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, the existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been reviewed, the government said.

This standard operating procedure shall be valid from 12 November until further orders, the union health ministry said in the guideline.

The government said that if travellers are fully vaccinated and coming from a country with which India has reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of World Health Organization (WHO) approved covid-19 vaccines, they shall be allowed to leave the airport and need not undergo home quarantine.

They shall self-monitor their health for 14 days post arrival. If partially or not vaccinated, travellers need to undertake measures which include submission of sample for post-arrival covid-19 test at the point of arrival after which they will be allowed to leave the airport, home quarantine for seven days, re-test on the eighth day of arrival in India and if negative, further self-monitor of their health for next seven days. The government guidelines also said that 15 days must have elapsed since completion of the covid-19 vaccination schedule.

"Travellers, under home quarantine or self-health monitoring, who develop signs and symptoms suggestive of covid-19 or test positive for covid-19 on re-testing, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call national helpline number (1075)/ state helpline number," the guidelines state.

"On arrival deboarding should be done ensuring physical distancing and thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the airport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff," the guidelines added.

The government added that passengers found symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility according to protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed.

Contacts of the suspect case are the co-passengers seated in the same row, three rows in front and three rows behind along with identified cabin crew. Also, all community contacts of those travellers who test positive (during the home quarantine period) will be subject to quarantine for 14 days and tested as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) protocol, the guidelines said.