Travellers to India may seek exemption from a mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine by submitting a negative Covid-19 RTPCR test report on arrival. According to revised guidelines issued by India's Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on Sunday, the test should have been conducted no more than 96 hours before undertaking the journey.

The revised guidelines will come into effect from August 8.

"The test report should be uploaded on the portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India," the ministry said in the revised guidelines.

A note on the document mentions that states can develop their own protocol "with regards to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment post arrival of passengers".

Other guidelines:

> All travellers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel.

> They should also give an undertaking on the portal that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days - seven days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by seven days isolation at home with "self-monitoring of health".

> 14-day home quarantine may be permitted only for "compelling reasons/cases of human distress" such as pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below

> If travellers wish to seek such exemption, they shall apply to the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final.

sahim@khaleejtimes.com

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