Govt scraps filling Air Suvidha form for international travellers

The Union health ministry has dropped the requirements of mandatory self-declaration of health status (Air Suvidha) and certificate of full primary vaccination in its revised guidelines for inbound travellers. 

“All travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against Covid-19 in their country,” the ministry of health and family welfare said in its new guidelines on Monday. It comes into effect from Tuesday.  

The earlier rule issued in February required incoming tourists to upload a negative RT-PCR report taken 72 hours before journey or a certificate of completing full primary vaccination.

The requirement of random post-arrival testing of 2 per cent of arriving passengers too has been done away with in the new guideline.

These changes come within days of the government making masks optional onboard flights and come with the rapid decline of Covid-19 cases in the country. Clinicians believe that the population has developed some form of immunity against the virus and are calling Covid-19 as endemic.

“In-flight announcement about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic including the precautionary measures to be followed (preferable use of masks and following physical distancing) shall be made in flights/travel and at all points of entry,” the guidelines said. It also lays down the process of isolating any passenger displaying symptoms of Covid-19.

On arrival de-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing and thermal screening should be done in respect of all passengers by health officials at the point of entry. Symptomatic passengers will be isolated and will be taken to a designated medical facility, it said.