International flights Latest news: To ensure that an unusual outbreak of COVID-19 cases is not noticed after international flights resume operations, the government has produced a detailed guide for those traveling to India in the coming days. Global precedents say that the resumption of international flights may act as a deterrent in the fight against COVID-19 as happened in New Zealand, which witnessed the second wave of infections after it opened its airspace.
Previously, Delhi Airport announced that all passengers will be required to undergo a 7-day institutional quarantine at their own cost after arriving in Delhi. Now, this has been made mandatory for all international travelers arriving at any airport in India. This 7-day institutional quarantine will be followed by another 7-day home quarantine period.
The arrangements for passengers arriving via air bubble flights were discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Secretary of the Interior Ajay Bhalla on Thursday.
These are the rules:
1. There will be two-layer health screenings for all passengers. The first screening will be at the airport. The second evaluation will be conducted at the multi-state checkpoint at the airport facilities. After that, they will proceed to quarantine.
2. The primary evaluation will be carried out by airport health officials. This includes thermal temperature screening using discreetly mounted, high precision mass screening chambers.
3. According to the government mandate, passengers arriving at Delhi airport on an international forward connectionless flight must undergo a seven-day institutional quarantine at their own expense, followed by seven days of home quarantine.
4. Travelers planning to stay in Delhi-NCR will also be required to undergo a secondary screening at the Delhi government post, after which they will be allowed to proceed to the approved quarantine location.
5. Officials from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand will be located at the separate sorting facilities created in the “Meeters & Greeters” area and passengers belonging to these states must report directly to the appropriate state post.
6. But everyone will have to be quarantined at the first stop, in this case, Delhi.
7. Passengers seeking exemption must complete an exemption form and discuss their case with government officials (in the “meet and greet” corridor) inside the terminal upon arrival.
8. If the quarantine exemption in Delhi is approved and your final destination is another state, arrangements for quarantine upon arrival in the respective state should be made with government officials.
9. At Delhi airport, passengers can be considered exempt, authorities said. Pregnant women, those who suffered a death in the family, those suffering from a serious illness and parents accompanied by children under the age of 10 can apply for the exemption.
10. Documents required to consider waiver requests include a medical certificate, death certificate, copy of passport, and ticket for the next flight.
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