The Delhi government has lifted the mandatory 7-day institutional quarantine requirement for passengers arriving from the UK who test negative for Covid-19 at the airport. This is of significance as the Delhi government had introduced the now-revoked rule without notice earlier this month, something that caught hundreds of passengers by surprise.
What was the rule for passengers arriving from the UK to Delhi?
Earlier this month, when the Center resumed flights from the UK that were banned due to the mutated Covid-19 strain, the Delhi government had deviated from the Union Ministry of Health guidelines and ordered everyone and Each of the passengers arriving from the UK undergo an institutional quarantine. for seven days upon arrival. This came as a surprise to more than 200 passengers on board an Air India flight from London to the UK, given that the new rule had been notified after the flight took off from London. Air India, however, has refuted this and said that passengers were informed about the change in the rule at London airport.
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Why has the norm been relaxed now?
In a new order, the Delhi government has said that the situation has been reviewed and considering the low positivity rate of returnees from the UK, it has been decided that the additional measure of mandatory institutional quarantine of travelers who test negative may not be necessary.
What’s the status of UK flights?
Last month, the Indian government had decided to suspend all flights from the UK, and these were partially resumed from January 8 onwards. This was done in light of the spread of the mutated coronavirus strain, which originated in the UK and spread to more than two dozen countries at the time, including India. After assessing the situation related to this mutated strain, the central government decided earlier this week to further extend restrictions on the number of flights from the UK until February 14. This means that flights from the UK will continue to operate with restricted capacity.
What should passengers arriving from the UK do?
Passenger travel guidelines remain the same for extended restrictions. In accordance with the guidelines for other international arrivals, all incoming UK passengers are required to submit a self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours prior to scheduled travel. All passengers arriving from the UK are also required to carry a negative RT-PCR test report, for which the test should have been performed within 72 hours of departure. Airlines have been asked to ensure that a passenger brings the negative test report before allowing them to board the flight. Upon arrival at Indian airports, all UK passengers on all international flights will undergo self-pay RT-PCR testing.
What happens if a passenger tests positive for Covid-19 upon arrival?
Passengers who test positive must be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate unit (isolation) coordinated by the respective State Health Authorities. They would allocate specific facilities for such isolation and treatment and take the necessary measures to send the positive samples to the laboratories of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). If the test report reveals that the Covid-19 variant is not the new one, the ongoing treatment protocol will be followed, including home isolation or on-site treatment depending on the severity of the case. If the test report reveals that a passenger tested positive for the new variant, the patient will continue in a separate isolation unit. Although the necessary treatment will be administered according to the existing protocol, the patient will be examined on day 14, after having tested positive in the initial test. The patient will remain in the isolation facility until their sample is negative.
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