Health Ministry issues guidelines for international arrivals

In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday issued guidelines for international arrivals, wherein all travellers will have to mandatorily stay in quarantine for 14 days.

"Before boarding, all travellers shall give an undertaking 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," read the guidelines.

However, exceptions have been given to cases such as human distress, pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) accomped by children below 10 years. For them, the states can permit home quarantine for them. "Use of Aarogya Setu app shall be mandatory in such cases," the ministry said.

It further said, "Suitable precautionary measures such as environmental station and disinfection shall be ensured at the airports as well as within the flights. During boarding and at airports, all possible measures to ensure social distancing is to be ensured. However, states can also develop their own protocol with regards to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment."

The ministry also said that these guidelines are applicable to even passengers arriving through the land borders. "Only those who are asymptomatic will be enabled to cross the border into India," the guidelines read.

( With inputs from ANI )