THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union health ministry has informed the state about the new guidelines for fixing mandatory quarantine periods for international travellers, said health minister Veena George.
Under the new guidelines travellers from the United Kingdom will have to undergo 10 days of quarantine at home or destination address. Those coming from South Africa, Brazil and Europe had to undergo a mandatory quarantine period of 7 days. The new restriction will come into force from October 4. All international travellers, irrespective of their vaccination status, will have to take RT-PCR upon reaching the airports in the state.
Travellers from other countries have to observe 14-day self-monitoring if they test negative in the test. Besides the RT-PCR test, samples of travellers from countries such as UK, South Africa, Brazil, Europe, Middle East, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe will be sent for testing the presence of virus mutation.
The central government’s decision to introduce the 10 day quarantine for British citizens arriving in India was seen as a reciprocal approach for similar restriction for Indian citizens traveling to the UK
. The travellers will have to take three RT-PCR tests - first within 72 hours of the flight, on arrival at the airport and the third at the completion of the eighth day of arrival.
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