‘Negative RT-PCR take a look at not a should’: India revises journey advisory for Ukraine returnees

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry on Monday revised its worldwide journey advisory offering varied exemptions for Indians, principally college students, evacuated from Ukraine. 

They have been exempted from importing necessary pre-boarding damaging RT-PCR take a look at studies and vaccination certificates on the Air-Suvidha portal earlier than departure. 

“Indian nationals not fulfilling either of the mandatory requirements (pre-boarding negative RT-PCR test report or fully vaccinated certificate) as laid down in the present ‘Guidelines for International Arrivals’ have been exempted from uploading these documents on Air-Suvidha Portal before departure to India,” mentioned Union Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal in a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretary G. Balasubramanian.

“Further, individuals who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination (irrespective of the country of departure/vaccination) have been allowed to leave the arrival airport in India with the advice to self-monitor their health for the next 14 days,” the letter mentioned. 

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In case a traveler just isn’t capable of submit a pre-arrival RT-PCR take a look at or who has not accomplished their Covid-19 vaccination, he/she will probably be requested to submit their samples on arrival with the recommendation to proceed to self-monitor their well being for 14 days after arrival in India. “If tested positive, they shall be clinically managed as per laid down protocol,” it mentioned. 

The revised journey advisory was issued after a request was acquired from MEA on February 25 to loosen up the journey advisory for the stranded Indians in Ukraine, and people evacuated by the Indian authorities. The step was taken on humanitarian grounds, the ministry mentioned.

Till February 28 midday, 1,156 Indians have returned in 5 flights – one in Mumbai and 4 in Delhi. None of them have been saved beneath isolation thus far, the ministry mentioned.

The ministry mentioned they’re lending all assist to the MEA, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Ministry of Home within the doable evacuation of Indians stranded in Ukraine.