Indian government introduces New travel guidelines for International Arrivals

With a new covid scenario coming up, the government of India is in full mood to modify the aviation setup for Indian & international passengers coming by cheap flights to India with new travel guidelines. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare developed ‘Guidelines for International Arrivals’ in response to the COVID-19 epidemic and has since modified them. The current recommendations are being reviewed in light of the continued decline of COVID-19 and major gains being achieved in COVID-19 vaccination coverage, both internationally and in India.

These amended standards, which will go into effect on December 24, 2022, are in response to an increase in the number of COVID cases in nations such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and China. As reports from China of hospitals running out of beds and people standing outside hospitals and ICUs arrive, the Centre is taking preventative steps and remaining vigilant. View the Ministry of Health’s revised overseas travel rules.

1. Travel Preparation

All travelers booking long-haul and last minute flights should preferably be completely vaccinated against COVID-19 according to their country’s authorized main schedule of immunization.

2. While Traveling

In-flight announcements on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as preventative steps to be taken (preferably mask wear and physical separation), will be made on flights/travel and at all points of entry.

Any passenger who arrived on board experiencing COVID-19 symptoms during their cheap flights to India travel should be isolated according to normal practice, which means wearing a mask, being isolated and separated from other passengers on the flight/journey, and being transferred to an isolation center for further treatment.

De-boarding should be done upon arrival to ensure physical separation.

Thermal screening is required for all passengers which is to be performed by health officials present at the point of entry.

Passengers who exhibit symptoms during screening must be immediately segregated and sent to a certified medical institution in accordance with health procedures (as above).

• Following arrival, the following process must be followed:
• A subset (2% of the total passengers on the aircraft) will be subjected to random post-arrival testing at the airport.
• The airlines involved will identify such passengers on each journey (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and then be permitted to exit the airport.
• De-boarding should be done upon arrival to ensure physical separation.
• Passengers who exhibit symptoms during screening must be immediately segregated and sent to a certified medical institution in accordance with health procedures (as above).

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated in Parliament that India has begun a 2% random sample of overseas visitors to the country and may consider making it mandatory for all if necessary.

He made the statements in response to questions from certain Opposition MPs following his moto statement in Rajya Sabha on the latest COVID-19 scenario and India’s preparations.