New Delhi: The center on Friday mandates all international arrivals in India from ‘not risky’ countries to quarantine at home for 7 days.
Passengers come from ‘risky’ countries and negative testing on arrival also need to do the same.
The center also updated the ‘At-Risk’ list of countries.
These include – European countries including British, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Israel, Congo, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Zambia .
This list is updated regularly based on “epidemiological situations that are common in Covid-19 in these countries including the circulation of a variant that is a concern,” the ministry said.
Countries added to the list including Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Zambia and Kazakhstan.
Furthermore, travelers need to undergo a RT-PCR test on the 8th day of the arrival and upload the same results on the Suvidha air portal.
If the results are negative, they will further need to monitor their health for 7 more days.
And if positive, their samples will be sent for testing genomes on the Insacog Laboratory network.
Infected people will be treated in isolation facilities and tracking contact.
The Ministry of Health Union implements more stringent arrival norms for those from non-risky countries.
Passengers from risky countries will continue to be tested on arrival and are allowed to leave the airport or take liaison flight after getting negative reports from the same.
However, they also need quarantine at home for a week and undergo a RT-PCR test on the 8th day.
“The existing guidelines have been revised given the reporting of the new SARS-COV-2 variant (B.1.1.529; called Omicron) which has been classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization,” The Ministry of Health commands said.
Other rules remain the same in terms of pre-departure information and requirements to download the Aarogya Setu application.
Two seconds of arrival from non-risky countries selected randomly will undergo post-arrival testing at the airport.