Omicron Scare: RT-PCR Compulsory For Domestic Passengers For Entering Mumbai, Pune

The world isn’t ready for the spread of the new ‘highly transmissible’ Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. Measures need to be taken and it’s high time for all the nation to be careful about overseas passengers from ‘at-risk’ countries.

According to the Government of Maharashtra, in an order dated November 30, if you are an intra-state traveller, you are supposed to be fully vaccinated or hold valid RT-PCR tests.

In case you are travelling within Maharastra, you need to give your RT-PCR tests reports (48 hours).

Air Travel Restrictions Into Maharashtra:

Passengers travelling within Maharashtra will either have to be:

• Fully vaccinated
• RT-PCR test within 48 hours of the time of arrival.
• In the case of passengers from other Indian states, a negative RT-PCR test within 48 hours of arrival will be compulsory without exceptions.

Revised Rules For NON-AT-RISK COUNTRIES

• Travellers will go through the compulsorily RT-PCR tests on arrival at the airport.
• People with negative test reports will have to undergo 14 days of home quarantine.
• People with positive test reports will be hospitalized.
• If a traveller has a connecting flight to a Maharashtra airport, they will be subject to the quarantine procedures outlined in the order for landing directly from an overseas source.

Revised Rules For At-Risk Countries

• Travellers who are from the ‘at-risk’ countries need to be extra cautious and thus they have to submit details of travel history dating back 14 days before the date of arrival.
• Also, a negative RT-PCR report is mandatory. These details may get further uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal.
• All the travellers who were tested negative are strictly advised to follow the home quarantine for a minimum of seven days. They are also supposed to do a Covid-19 test on the eighth day.
• Airlines will conduct random Covid-19 testing of 2 per cent of the travellers flying to India from ‘at risk’ countries according to the central government’s instructions.

“International passengers arriving from ‘at-risk countries’ may be deplaned on priority, and separate counters will be arranged by MIAL (Mumbai International Airport Limited) and Airport Authority for their checking,”

The circular read.

 “All such passengers shall have to undergo mandatory 7-day institutional quarantine and RT-PCR test to be carried out on days 2, 4 and 7 for them. If any of the tests are found to be positive, the passenger shall be shifted to a hospital,” the circular read.

“In case of all tests coming negative, the passenger will have to undergo a further seven days of home quarantine,”

The circular read.

“It is considered necessary to give some time to the passengers from ‘Risk Countries’ to plan their travel given the recent orders issued by the Maharashtra government. To avoid major inconveniences and also to recast their travel plans, a window of two days is proposed to be given to all passengers from ‘Risk Countries’,”

The statement reads.