New Delhi: Centre has exempted children below 5 years of age from COVID-19 testing pre and post-arrival into India, according to the latest guidelines issued on Thursday.
However, if they are found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the home quarantine period, they will have to undergo testing and will be treated as per the laid down protocol, it added.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has updated the guidelines for international travel as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in other countries and the increasing vaccination coverage across the globe.
“The global trajectory of COVID-19 pandemic continues to decline with certain regional variations. The need to monitor the continuously changing nature of the virus and the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) must remain in focus.
“The existing guidelines (issued on February, 17, 2021 with subsequent addendums) for international arrivals in India have been formulated taking a risk-based approach. In view of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, the existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been reviewed,” the latest guidelines read.
As per these new rules, travellers who are fully vaccinated and coming from a country with which India has reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines will be allowed to leave the airport and need not undergo home quarantine and testing.
“There are countries which have an agreements with India on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates of nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. Similarly, there are countries that presently do not have such an agreement with India, but they exempt fully vaccinated Indian citizens with nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. On the basis of reciprocity, the travellers from all such countries which provide quarantine-free entry to Indians and be allowed certain relaxations on arrival,” it said.
However, such travellers are required to self-monitor their health for 14 days post-arrival.
Also, partial or not vaccinated travellers need to undertake measures which include submission of sample for post-arrival COVID-19 test at the point of arrival after which they will be allowed to leave the airport, home quarantine for seven days, re-test on the eighth day of arrival in India and if founf negative, further self-monitoring of their health for the next seven days, it said.
The government guidelines also said that 15 days must have elapsed since completion of the COVID-19 vaccination schedule
