The health ministry issued new instructions amid resurgent concerns over the virus, recommending that all travellers arriving in India be fully immunised in accordance with the primary schedule of immunisation against Covid-19 that has been recommended in their nation. Covid-19 infections have increased alarmingly in China, raising new worries about the virus.
The new regulations require that any passenger who exhibits Covid-19 symptoms while travelling be segregated in accordance with accepted protocol. It further stated that the aforementioned individual should wear a mask, be isolated and segregated from other passengers during the flight, and then be transferred to an isolation centre for further treatment.
Upon arrival, de-boarding should be done ensuring proper physical distancing, the health ministry said.
Everyone should be subjected to thermal screening by health officials present at the point of entry, it said, adding that passengers found to be symptomatic during screening must be immediately isolated and taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocol.
Two per cent of the total passengers in the flight must undergo random post-arrival testing at airports and such travellers in each flight will be identified by the airlines concerned, preferably from different countries, it said. They will be allowed to leave the airport after submitting their samples.
If samples return positive for the virus, they will be further sent for genomic testing at the INSACOG laboratory network. The affected fliers will be treated as per standard protocol.
All travellers should self-monitor their health on arrival and report to their nearest health facility or call the national or state helpline numbers in case they show any symptoms.
Children under 12 are exempted from post-arrival random testing. However, if found symptomatic with Covid-19 on arrival or during the self-monitoring period, they will be tested and treated as per protocol.
