Ease in COVID-19 norms: Centre lifts random RT-PCR testing for international passengers

According to the health ministry's update on Wednesday, India recorded 49 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with the active caseload standing at 1,464. This further underscores the declining trend of infections in the country.

In response to the ongoing decrease in coronavirus infections across the country, the central government announced the relaxation of COVID-19 guidelines on Wednesday. As part of this, the requirement for random RT-PCR testing of a 2% subset of international travelers arriving in India will be dropped.

Effective from July 20, this change in guidelines will be applicable at all entry points, including airports, seaports, and land borders. A government official stated that the revision of the guidelines is prompted by the global decline in COVID-19 cases.

According to the health ministry's update on Wednesday, India recorded 49 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with the active caseload standing at 1,464. This further underscores the declining trend of infections in the country.

According to the health ministry website, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020 has reached 44.9 million. The recovery rate stands at an impressive 98.81%, while the death toll has tragically reached 531,915.

In an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus, the government has emphasized that all international travelers should ideally be fully vaccinated in accordance with the approved primary schedule of COVID-19 vaccination in their respective countries. This measure is aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of both travelers and the local population.

"In-flight announcement about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic including 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 new guidelines said.

"Any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol and the said passenger should be wearing mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow up treatment," it further said.

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus pandemic as a public health emergency in May, it emphasized that the disease still poses a significant threat to human lives, emphasizing the need for continued precautionary measures.

While the declaration marked a significant milestone, it also underscored the importance of remaining vigilant and taking necessary precautions to protect public health in the face of ongoing risks associated with the disease.