Omicron Updates: India Tightens Surveillance at Borders and Airports Amid Rising Cases of Highly Infectious Variant

Here are new SOPs for incoming air passengers to India from countries all around due to surge of Omicron:

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With the rising threat of New Covid Variant Omicron India has tightened surveillance at airports for incoming passengers from countries worldwide. International passengers must submit 14 days' travel history and upload negative Covid test results, the government said on Sunday.

 Travellers from countries deemed "at-risk" will also undergo a mandatory 7-day home quarantine if they test negative for the virus, the Union Health Ministry said in revised travel guidelines for international passengers in view of 'Omicron' - a new variant of Covid that has been classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation.

Health Ministry issues revised #guidelines for international travellers coming to #India from countries identified as 'countries at-risk', effective December 1 #health #newvariant #omicron #covid #travellers #international #who #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/sqPJQ2WKXS

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) November 29, 2021

Here are the new Guidelines:

Every international passenger coming to India has to fill a self-declaration form and show a negative RT-PCR test report. They can't enter India if any of these two conditions are not fulfilled.

Those coming from "at-risk" nations like South Africa have to give samples for RT-PCR testing after reaching India. Anyone found positive will be quarantined and the sample will be sent for genome sequencing - a method that checks the make-up of an organism. If the person is infected with the 'Omicron' strain, stricter isolation rules would apply.

People from "at-risk" nations who test negative will, however, have to be in home quarantine for seven days. They will be tested again on Day 8.

There will be random sampling of people for RT-PCR tests if they are arriving from nations considered not at risk. However, the samples of anyone found positive will be sent for genome sequencing and the person will be quarantined.

Those coming from countries considered not at risk and whose samples have tested negative have been advised to monitor themselves carefully for at least two weeks.