Although India resumed its domestic flight services at the end of May, state governments have been changing their guidelines for passengers coming from other states factoring in the evolving COVID-19 situation in the country. While some states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala have made registering on government websites mandatory, others (like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) have made testing mandatory for passengers coming from states with high COVID-19 cases, including Maharashtra, New Delhi and Gujarat.
From health screening to quarantining, here are guidelines for passengers travelling to the five southern states.
Please note: These guidelines are subject to change depending on the COVID-19 situation in each state and the subsequent decisions by the governments.
> Thermal screening and COVID-19 testing will be done for all passengers.
> Passengers must download the Aarogya Setu app.
> Passengers must register on Spandana website and obtain clearance prior to booking tickets.
Quarantine
> All symptomatic passengers as well as those arriving from Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana will be sent to institutional quarantine for COVID-19 test. Passengers can opt for free institutional quarantine at a government facility or paid quarantine at designated hotels. After seven days, passengers in institutional quarantine will be tested again. If the test result is negative, the passenger can undergo a seven-day home quarantine.
> All other passengers shall be sent for 14-day home quarantine after collecting swabs on arrival. If the test result is positive, they shall be sent to COVID Care Center or shall be asked to continue home quarantine as the case may be.
> Businesspersons will be exempted from home quarantine if they provide COVID negative test certificate issued by an ICMR approved laboratory within the last three days of arrival.
> A confirmed e-pass from Seva-Sindhu portal is mandatory to enter Karnataka. If the passenger is unable to obtain a confirmed e-pass, he/she must carry the acknowledgement of e-pass application.
> All passengers will undergo thermal screening and health profiling.
> Symptomatic passengers will have to undergo a COVID-19 swab test.
> Passengers seeking quarantine exemption will also have to take the COVID-19 swab test.
Quarantine
> All passengers coming from other states, including Maharashtra, will be placed in 14-days home quarantine.
> All symptomatic passengers will be shifted to COVID Care Center for further tests. If the result turns positive, the person will be shifted to Dedicated COVID Hospital. If negative, the person will be sent for 14-day home quarantine.
> Passengers coming following a death in the family, pregnant women, children below 10 years old, elderly passengers above 60 years old, those with serious illness and in human distress will be exempted from institutional quarantine. After submitting their swab samples on arrival, they can go for 14-day home quarantine.
> Passengers who have a COVID test negative report from ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) approved lab (not older than two days) need not go for institutional quarantine. They have to go for 14 days of home quarantine.
For business, short trips
> Passengers intending to leave within 48 hours will be exempted from swab test and quarantine.
> Passengers planning to stay for more than 48 hours in Karnataka but less than seven days, will have to undergo swab test on arrival. They must stay in institutional quarantine (free government facility or paid quarantine at designated hotels) till the test results arrive.
> If they have a COVID test negative report from ICMR approved lab (not older than two days) will be exempted from any type of quarantine.
> If a passenger is travelling to his/her native in Karnataka and returning within four days, there will be no testing and quarantine. But they should report to Apthamitra Helpline (14410) regarding the status of their health during the next 14 days.
> All passengers are required to register their details on the Covid-19 Jagratha portal.
> All passengers will undergo thermal screening
> Symptomatic passengers will have to take the COVID-19 test
Quarantine
> All passengers will have to undergo 14-day home quarantine
> Passengers arriving for a short period — business, official, trade, medical, court cases, property management or any like purposes — will be exempted from quarantine. They can remain in the state for up to seven days without mandatory quarantine. However, they must possess the e-pass. They should also provide their itinerary, state the purpose of visit, local accommodation address and contact person.
> All passengers entering Tamil Nadu are required to register on the state website and obtain TN e-pass
> All passengers must download Aarogya Setu App
> All passengers will undergo thermal screening
> Passengers arriving in Chennai from Maharashtra, New Delhi and Gujarat will be tested on arrival
> Passengers arriving at the other airports in Tamil Nadu from any state will be tested at the discretion of health officials
> Passengers travelling within Tamil Nadu will also be tested, at the discretion of Health officials
Quarantine
> All passengers will be stamped with the 'quarantine with date' seal before exiting the airport.
> Asymptomatic passengers from all states should undergo 14-day home quarantine. If they develop symptoms, they should inform the district call centre (1077) or the district nodal officer, or report to the nearest government hospital.
> Symptomatic passengers will be taken to the nearest health facility for RT-PCR test and will be required to go to Institutional quarantine, till their test results are available, at the discretion of health officials. Those with moderate/severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated COVID-19 hospitals or health centres. Those who test positive for coronavirus and have mild symptoms can opt for isolation at home or COVID-19 care centre. Those who test negative can go for 14-day home quarantine.
> Persons travelling for a business trip and returning within 48 hours are exempted from quarantine. Instead, they will have to furnish valid return documents.
> All passengers will undergo thermal screening
> There is no testing at the airport for all passengers
Quarantine
> Passengers with COVID-19 symptoms will be sent to government hospitals for assessment and treatment.
> Asymptomatic passengers can go for self-monitored, 14-day home quarantine.