Govt relaxes pointers for international arrivals, exempts children beneath five from COVID check

The Centre has exempted youngsters below five years of age from pre- and post-arrival trying out for covid-19, as in line with present day tips for worldwide arrivals issued on Thursday. The tips, however, stated if determined symptomatic for covid-19 on arrival or all through domestic quarantine period, they (youngsters below five years) shall go through trying out and handled as in line with established protocol.

The government has said that the global trajectory of the covid19 pandemic continues to decline with some regional variations. The need to monitor the ever-changing nature of the virus and the evolution of variants of concern of SARSCoV2 (VOCs) should remain at the center of attention. The existing guidelines published on February 17, 2021 with subsequent addenda for international arrivals to India were formulated using a risk-based approach. In light of increasing vaccine coverage around the world and the changing nature of the pandemic, existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been revised, the government said.

The government has stated that if travelers are fully vaccinated and come from a country with which India has reciprocal agreements for the mutual acceptance of covid19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), they will be able to leave the airport and will not need to undergo through a home quarantine.