'Omicron': India has stepped up checks amid concerns over new variant of COVID-19
People arriving in India by flights from countries where a new strain of coronavirus, 'Omicron', has been detected will need to follow certain entry rules. India announced this to check any spread of the new strain amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here's key info on international arrivals in India amid Omicron concerns:
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. These "at-risk" countries, as of November 26, are countries in Europe including The United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel.
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.
