India makes quarantine mandatory for overseas travellers

India on Friday set out new Covid-19 rules, making a seven-day quarantine mandatory for all international passengers. The rules effective January 11 come in the wake of an exponential rise in Omicron cases across the country.

And after undergoing home isolation for a week, the Indian Health Ministry said, all such passengers flying in from abroad will have to take an RT-PCR test. If anyone tests positive, they will be sent to an isolation facility for treatment.

Those who test negative will have to self-monitor their health for another week, according to the latest rules.

The Ministry also added more countries to the list of “at-risk” nations — South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Israel, Congo, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Zambia.

Those arriving from these 19 “at-risk” nations will be required to submit samples for Covid testing at the airport itself. They will not be allowed to leave the airport till their results come.

On the other hand, people arriving in India from countries other than “at risk” nations also face the prospect of an RT-PCR examination as airport authorities will pick two percent of such passengers randomly for Covid test, as per the latest Health Ministry rules.