Omicron variant: India issues new guidelines

New Delhi, Nov 28: Passengers travelling from or transiting through “at-risk” countries will have to undergo RT-PCR test on arrival in India and will be required to wait for the results before leaving the airport or taking a connecting flight, according to revised guidelines issued on Sunday after the emergence of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Travellers coming from countries other than those listed as “at risk” will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days after arrival, but five per cent of them will be randomly tested at the airport, the revised guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry stated. The airlines concerned should identify the five per cent of such travellers to be tested in each flight, preferably from different countries.
Such travellers shall be escorted by the airlines or the Ministry of Civil Aviation authorities to the testing area on arrival and the cost of testing of such travellers shall be borne by the ministry.
The existing guidelines have been revised in view of reporting of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, named Omicron (B.1.1.529), which has been now classified as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization, the Health Ministry said.
This standard operating procedure shall be valid from December 1 till further orders. (PTI)