Govt busts fake message on COVID advisory for intl passengers; Check guidelines here

Union Health Ministry on Saturday fact-checked a report which claimed that the government is planning to make COVID-19 negative test report mandatory for passengers arriving from countries with a high number of cases.

"The country's health minister said in an interview on Friday that India plans to make a COVID-19 negative test report mandatory for passengers arriving from countries with a high number of cases," the report said.

Reacting to this report circulated on social media, the Health Ministry said that the information is fake and misleading. "This message is circulating on social media platforms regarding COVID-19 testing of incoming passengers to India. The message is FAKE and MISLEADING," the Ministry tweeted.

Health Ministry's guidelines for international arrivals

According to the Health Ministry's latest guidelines for international arrivals, all travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their country.

Any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol i.e. the said passenger should be wearing a mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow-up treatment, according to the Health Ministry.

On protocols post arrivals, the government said, "Thermal screening should be done in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the point of entry. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocol."

Post-arrival protocol (New guidelines on international arrivals):

• A sub-section (2% of the total passengers in the flight) shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival.
• Such travellers on each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport thereafter.
• If such travellers’ samples are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at the INSACOG laboratory network.
• They shall be treated/isolated as per the laid down standard protocol.

According to guidelines, all travellers should self-monitor their health post arrival also shall report to their nearest health facility or call the National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number in case they have any symptoms suggestive.

"Children under 12 years of age are exempted from post-arrival random testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the period of self-monitoring period, they shall undergo testing and be treated as per the laid down protocol," the Health Ministry said.