Omicron Now in India: if you wish to travel to any of these Indian states, here's what you must know

Recently Omicron has been detected in India. The Union Health Ministry has also confirmed that 2 confirmed cases are from Karnataka. As there is lots of worry, with regards to the above variant, the Center has gone ahead and issued guideline to different states as well as Union Territories, these guidelines would help effectively monitor as well as undertake surveillance of international passengers at the same time extending the nationwide Covid-19 measures till December 31st. Few of the states have also started issuing fresh guidelines and preventive measures to tackle the threat from this new variant.

What should fliers must know?

• Travelers are required to submit a self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha Portal: they are also required to upload -ve RT-PCT report (conducted 72 hours before travel) and also, they need to provide a declaration of authenticity of the report and download the Arogya Setu App.

• Airlines should ascertain the fulfillment of these conditions

On Arrival

• Thermal screening as well as copy of self-declaration

• RT-PCR Test is compulsory for passengers arriving or transiting from "at risk" nations. They would be allowed to transit/leave only after – ve result. Seven-day home quarantine, even though the individual has been tested negative, on 8th test re-test.

• Those individuals who have been tested positive, Genomic testing.

• Individuals who are arriving from not at-risk nation, random 2% passenger would be tested. Passengers are also advised to self-monitor at home for the period of 14 days.

• There exists an exemption from post arrival testing only if as individuals is travelling from a not at-risk nation and has only a transit in at risk nation before taking the destination flight.

• Similar rules also apply to hose individuals who are arriving at seaports/land ports, self-declaration form is mandatory on arrival.

• All children whose age is less than 5 years are exempted from pre as well as post arrival testing, incase of symptomatic, testing as well as treatment as per the SOP.

What additional Guidelines states have issued?

Maharastra

The above state has declared 6 ultra-risk nations, South Africa, Namibia, Lasotho, Zambabwe, Botswana and Eswatini. Passengers would require these nations, to undertake institutional quarantine under the revised airport rules. The 7-day institutional quarantine under the revised airport rules.

• 7-day institutional quarantine for travelers arriving in the state from at risk, nations, RT-PCR test on 2nd, 4th and 7th day of the arrival for such passengers, if the last test is negative, the passengers would then need to undergo 7-day home quarantine.

• Passengers from other nations would require to undergo a compulsory RT-PCR test on arrival and they would also require to undergo 14-day home quarantine, even if the test result is negative, Passengers who have been tested positive, would require to be transferred to a hospital.

• BMC circular states that, all domestic passenger landing at the city airport have to carry a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours.

Karnataka

Individuals arriving from abroad, 7 days home quarantine is a must.

Madhya Pradesh

RT-PCR test for all those individuals arriving at Bhopal, if they are unable to provide a recent test report.

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu Divisional commissioners directs concerned officers in order to access data from the Air Suvidha portal for early detection of passengers who are coming from "at risk" nations.

Uttarakhand

• Random Testing on the state's borders

• All healthcare as well as frontline workers would require to be tested

• District as well as block level control rooms to be operational 24x7 with a dedicated helpline number.

• Both bed occupancy as well as drug availability status must be updated on covid19.uk.gov.in and https://cdashboard.dcservices.in/, respectively

• Contacts tracing as well as home isolation monitoring teams reactivated.

Delhi

Apart from implementing central guidelines, the LNJP hospital earmarked for treating those who are infected by the new Omnicron variant of Coronavirus.