New Guidelines for International Arrivals are Issued in India

In the midst of rising cases of COVID-19 in India, the Central government has issued new guidelines for international travelers coming from 'at risk' countries. A person who tests positive on arrival in India will be treated but not hospitalized. As of January 22, a revised set of protocols will be implemented by the Union Health Ministry. 
Those arriving from "at-risk" countries should follow these instructions: 

• It is mandatory to submit a COVID-19 sample post-arrival, and it needs to be self-funded. Travelers must wait at the airport for the results. 
• In the event that the test is negative, they will be quarantined for 7 days and would then be tested for RT-PCR on their 8th day in India. 
• In addition, travelers will need to upload their RT-PCR results on the Air Suvidha portal on the eighth day of travel.
• Upon positive results on any 8th day RT-PCR tests, the sample shall be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratories, and the traveler must follow standard protocols and remain isolated. 

The following are the guidelines for passengers traveling from countries that are not considered at-risk: 

• Upon arrival at the airport, a portion of passengers will be randomly tested. 
• There will be a 7-day quarantine period for all passengers at home, followed by the RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival. On the Air Suvidha portal, they must also upload their results. Those who test positive will be sent a sample for further genomic analysis and instructed to isolate themselves. 
• Airports do not require testing for children under five years of age. In the event that any child exhibits symptoms, they will be placed under home quarantine.