Health worker doing COVID test of children
Children below the age of five years traveling to India are exempted from taking the Covid test before and after arrival. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has given this information. However, if they are found to have symptoms of coronavirus on arrival or during the home quarantine period, they will have to get tested and treated as per protocol. During the journey of India, it is necessary for the passengers to get the COVID test done before the journey and then after reaching here.
According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, ‘Children below five years of age are exempted from both pre-arrival and post-arrival tests. However, if symptoms of COVID-19 are found on arrival or during the home quarantine period, they will be tested and treated as per the prescribed protocol. The Health Ministry said that the guidelines for international arrival in India have been reviewed in view of the increasing worldwide vaccination coverage and the changing nature of the coronavirus pandemic.
Guidelines will be valid till further orders
The guidelines further said, ‘With some regional variations, there is a worldwide decline in the COVID epidemic. The ever-changing nature of the virus and the need to monitor the development of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) still needs to be kept in mind. The ministry said that this standard operating procedure (SOP) will be valid from November 12 till further orders. It has also been said in the revised guidelines that it is also necessary to elapse 15 days from the completion of the COVID-19 vaccination program.
These steps will be taken if the passenger is suspected of COVID
On arrival in India all passengers should be de-boarded by the health officials present at the airport. Apart from this, physical distancing and thermal screening should also be ensured. It has been said in the guidelines that if a person is found to be a COVID suspect, then the passenger sitting in the row next to him, the three rows in front of his seat, the people sitting in the back three rows and the cabin crew should be done. At the same time, if the people who came in contact with the passenger are found positive, they will be quarantined for 14 days and tested as per the protocol of the Indian Council of Medical Research.
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