The Union Health Ministry on Sunday issued an advisory for international travellers, mandating fourteen days of paid quarantine. It has also permitted home quarantine in certain exceptional and compelling cases, but has mandated the use of the Aarogya Setu app in such cases.

The guidelines of international passengers

The Health Ministry’s advisory stated that:

1. All travellers, before boarding, shall give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory paid quarantine for fourteen days, i.e seven days of institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by seven days of isolation at with self-monitoring of health.

2. Only for exceptional and compelling reasons such as cases of human distress, pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) accompanied by children below 10 years, as assessed by the receiving states, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days. Use of Aarogya Setu app shall be mandatory in such cases.

3. All passengers shall be advised to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

4. Self-declaration form in duplicate shall be filled by the person in the flight or ship and a copy of the same will be given to Health and Immigration officials present at the airport, seaport and land port, which may also be made available on Aarogya Setu app. Dos and don'ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travellers by the agencies concerned.

5. On arrival, thermal screening would be carried out for all passengers. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. The asymptomatic passengers shall be taken to suitable institutional quarantine facilities, to be arranged by the respective state and Union Territory Governments. These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for a minimum period of seven days. If they are assessed as mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or isolated in the Covid Care Centre (both public and private facilities) as appropriate.

6. Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with the advice that they shall self-monitor their health for 14 days. In case they develop any symptoms, they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre (1075).

Guidelines for domestic travel

In its advisory for domestic travellers, the Ministry stated that:

1. The States can issue their own guidelines. All passengers shall be advised to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices. Suitable announcement about Covid-19 including precautionary measures shall be made at airports, railway station, bus terminals and in flights, trains and buses.

2. The States can also develop their own protocol with regards to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment. States or Union Territories shall ensure that all passengers shall undergo thermal screening at the point of departure and only asymptomatic passengers are allowed to board the flight, train or buses.

3. During boarding and travel, all passengers shall use face covers, mask, follow hand and respiratory hygiene and maintain environmental hygiene. At airports/railway stations, bus terminals required measures to ensure social distancing shall be taken.

4. Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with the advice that they shall self-monitor their health for 14 days. In case they develop any symptoms, they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state or national call center (1075). Those found symptomatic will be isolated and taken to the nearest health facility.

5. They will be assessed for clinical severity at the health facility. Those having moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated Covid-19 Health facilities and managed accordingly.

6. Those having mild symptoms will be given the option of home isolation or isolated in the Covid Care Centre (both public and private facilities) as appropriate and tested as per ICMR protocol. If tested positive, they have to stay in Covid Care Centre and will be managed as per clinical protocol. If negative, the passenger may be allowed to go home, isolate and self-monitor his/her health for further seven days. In case, any symptoms develop they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call center (1075).

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