• October 4, 2021

Kerala prepares new quarantine rules for UK and international travellers from Today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Oct 4: The Union health ministry has informed Kerala 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.

Under the new rules from Oct 4, irrespective of their vaccination status, those flying from UK to India need to, among other things “undergo mandatory quarantine at home or at the destination address for 10 days after arrival in India.

British citizens or those who are holding OCI or PIO card holders on their return need to quarantine at their homes at no extra cost. Those who are Indian passport holders or tourists here need to find their own accommodation at their own costs. – PTI

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