The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (“MOHFW”) in a Notification dated 22nd December 2020 has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (“SOP”) which provides for the activities which are to be undertaken at the point of entry and in the community for all International passengers who have travelled from or transited through UK in the past 4 weeks (from 25th November to 23rd December 2020).
The MOHFW has directed the international travellers to declare their travel history of past 14 days and fill up the Self Declaration Form to be screened for COVID-19 at international airports in view of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in United Kingdom.
All the passengers coming from UK during the intervening period from 21st to 23rd December 2020 shall be subjected to the following process:
1. Respective State governments shall ensure that all passengers travelling from or transiting through airports in UK and disembarking in India would be subjected to RT-PCR test on arrival.
2. Passengers testing positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate (isolation) unit coordinated by the respective State Health Authorities.
3. Those who are found negative on testing with RT-PCR at the airport would be advised quarantine at home.
4. The concerned airlines shall ensure that prior to check-in, the traveller is explained about this SOP. In-flight announcements must also be made explaining the relevant information to the passengers.
5. Adequate arrangements for passengers waiting for their RT-PCR test results duly following effective isolation may also be made at the airports.
Note- The flights from UK stand suspended temporarily from 23rd December till 31st December 2020 or till further orders.
Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
