International arrivals have to undergo mandatory home quarantine starting today

New Delhi, Jan 11: Starting today all international arrivals in India will undergo mandatory home isolation for a week. The Union Health Ministry had made this announcement last Friday.

The document released by the ministry said that the existing guidelines have been revised in view of the new variant of COVID-19. The new variant, Omicron has been classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation.

The rules say that international travellers will have to undergo home quarantine for seven days and take an Rt-PCR test on the 8th day from the date of arrival. Children under the age of 5 are exempted from both the pre and post arrival testing. They will have to take the test if found to be symptomatic on arrival or during the home isolation period.

"Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on the eighth day on Air Suvidha portal to be monitored by the respective States/UTs," the order stated.

"If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next 7 days. However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. They shall be managed at an isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol including contact tracing," the government also said in the order.