Revised COVID-19 guidelines for international travellers from December 1

Under the updated guidelines for international arrivals issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), all travelers coming to India from December 1 (Wednesday) from the countries identified as ‘countries at-risk’ will have to undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing at the airport on arrival irrespective of their vaccination status. In addition to this, they would also have to submit a negative COVID-19 test undertaken 72 hours before the departure.

The guideline was updated for international passengers arriving in India in view of the recently reported Omicron a new variant reported to be more infectious and transmissible than the earlier detected variants.

On any incoming passenger testing positive, they will be isolated and treated as per the clinical management protocol. Their samples will further be taken for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) at identified INSACOG network laboratories to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 variants (including Omicron). The passengers found negative will have to undergo home isolation for seven days, followed by repeat testing on the eighth day of arrival in India and a week of self-monitoring.

The guidelines also mandates random testing of five percent of the travelers coming from countries which are not in the ‘at risk category’.

First reported in South Africa on 24 November 2021, the B.1.1.529 variant (Omicron) was classified as Variant of Concern (VoC) by WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) on 26th November 2021. A large number of mutations, as many as 30 in the spike protein, have been noted in the variant which may make this variant more transmissible and have immune escape behaviour.

Centre has issued advisory to states for rigorous surveillance of international passengers, enhanced testing, monitoring the hotspots of COVID -19, ensuring augmentation of health infrastructure, including undertaking samples for whole genome sequencing.

The MoHFW has further advised strict adherence to COVID Appropriate Behavior -- use of mask/face cover, physical distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene and undertaking vaccination to manage COVID-19 at the community level.