New Delhi: Children under five years are exempted from the testing of pre and post-arrival for Covid-19 in India, say the revised guidelines for international arrivals were released on Thursday.
However, if found to be symptomatic for coronavirus infection on arrival or during the period of home quarantine, they will undergo testing and are treated according to the protocol relaxed, the guidelines said.
Standard operating procedure is valid from November 12 (00,00 hours) until further orders, the health ministry said.
The ministry said the guidelines for international arrivals in India have been reviewed in view of the increasing vaccination coverage worldwide, and the changing nature of the pandemic.
The revised guidelines also state that 15 days must have passed since the completion of the vaccination schedule Covid for travelers.
According to the existing guidelines, if the traveler is fully vaccinated and come from a country with which India has a reciprocal arrangement to accept each other Covid vaccine approved by the World Health Organization, they will be allowed to leave the airport and do not need to undergo home quarantine.
They will monitor their health for 14 days after arrival.
If some or unvaccinated, travelers need to take steps, which include the submission of samples for testing covid-19 post-arrival on arrival, after which they will be allowed to leave the airport, quarantine the house for seven days, back test on the eighth day of arrival in India and, if negative, self monitoring further their health for seven days.
If travelers under home quarantine or health monitoring themselves develop symptoms or positive test on retesting, they should immediately isolate themselves and report to the nearest health facility, or call the national helpline number helpline number or the relevant country.