No more 7-day home quarantine for foreign travellers as govt eases rules

Countries 'at-risk' tag goes, along with it the mandatory sample testing

With Covid cases declining, the current picture is that of optimism and caution, the government said as it considerably relaxed the restrictions on international travellers on Thursday, including no mandatory seven-day isolation or compulsory RT-PCR testing for fully vaccinated.

“We are below the first surge level. Overall positivity is now below 5 per cent. Pandemic situation is optimistic…but then this is not yet the time to be less vigilant, we cannot lower our guard,” V K Paul, member-health, NITI Aayog, and chairman of National Covid Task Force, said.

International travellers would not have to mandatorily home quarantine for seven days or get an RT-PCR test done on the eighth day, according to the revised guidelines for international travel introduced by the health ministry.

“All travellers will self-monitor their health for the next 14 days after arrival,” stated the new guidelines that come into effect on February 14.

The government has also removed the demarcation of countries ‘at-risk’ and  other countries. With this, the requirement of giving samples on port of arrival and waiting till the result is obtained from countries ‘at-risk’ is done away with.

Travellers will also have the option of uploading a certificate of completing the full vaccination schedule, besides the RT-PCR report taken 72 hours before the journey. This facility is only available on a reciprocal basis to 82 countries, which includes the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong.

While the UK has done away with the RT-PCR requirement for fully vaccinated Indian travellers, those travelling to the US or Canada will have to produce a negative test report before boarding the flight. Full vaccination is mandatory for all foreign travellers to the US and Canada. 

The health ministry said the new guidelines have been formulated taking a risk-based approach. “While monitoring the nature and spread of infection in the country and across the globe, cognisance is also given to the fact that economic activities need to be taken up in an unhindered manner,” the ministry said.

It said international travellers have to be tracked in a softer way but vigilance cannot be down.

The government will continue to do random sampling of 2 per cent of international travellers from all countries. However, travellers will be allowed to leave the airport after giving their sample.

Such travellers in each flight will be identified by the airlines concerned. “If such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network,” the guidelines said.  

International travellers arriving through seaports or land ports will not be able to register online, but will have to submit a self-declaration on arrival.

The new guidelines come at a time when globally there is an early trend of decline in cases. The health ministry said that 140 countries are showing a declining trend, including the US, Italy, France, and Spain.

In India for the last four days, the daily new cases have been below the 100,000-mark.

“The world does not know everything about this virus. We have to continue with the tools at our disposal. Vigilance must go on,” added Paul.

He said that even though the country is passing through a transition to improvement, Covid-appropriate behaviour has to be a new normal. “Further contraction is consistent, but there are districts of concern. Virus is still around, and it will try to emerge fitter, smarter to penetrate our defences,” said Paul.

One forty one districts in the country are reporting a test positivity rate of more than 10 per cent for the week ended February 9. Four states, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka have more than 50,000 active cases and make up for over 60 per cent of the caseload in the country.

The health ministry said that the global and Indian growth trajectory of the Covid-19 pandemic continues with regional variations. “The need to monitor the continuously changing nature of virus and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern thus, must still remain in focus,” the ministry said.

Vax progress

The government has also appealed to those above 60 years of age to come forward to take their booster dose. So far, 16 million precaution doses have been given to health, front line workers, and those above 60 years of age.

Paul said that expanding the booster dose coverage to a wider age group is a decision which will be based on scientific need and epidemiology.

Among adults, 96 per cent have received their first dose, while 76 per cent are fully jabbed. Around 69 per cent of 15-17 year olds have taken their first dose and only 14 per cent have taken both doses.

The government said that the catchment of those who need to be vaccinated has come down since a large portion of the population has been covered but pace of vaccination went up since October last year from 5.5 million to almost 6.9 million per day.

“Around 5 million doses on an average per day in the last nine days of February have been given in the country,” Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry, said.