SOP issued for intl passengers arriving in state from UK

All international travellers who have travelled from or transited through UK in the past four weeks (from November 25 to December 23) will be required to declare as per existing procedure, their travel history (of past 14 days) and fill up the Self Declaration Form to be screened for Covid-19.

The flights from UK stand suspended temporarily from December 23 till December 31.

All passengers who came from UK during the intervening period from December 21 to December 23 shall be subjected to the screening process.

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, Mangaluru airport, Mangaluru seaport and Karwar seaport shall ensure that all passengers travelling from or transiting through airports in UK and disembarking in India are subjected to RT-PCR test on arrival. The test shall be done for all passengers on arrival, even if they carry a negative test report.

In case of a positive sample, it is recommended that spike gene-based RT-PCR test is performed by an appropriate laboratory.

Passengers testing positive shall be isolated in an institutional facility in separate (isolation) unit coordinated by the respective district health authorities/BBMP.

They should earmark specific facilities for such isolation and treatment. Passengers testing positive shall not be allowed for home isolation, irrespective of symptoms or no symptoms, till genomic sequencing is completed.

All testing labs have been instructed to send the positive samples to InStem(NCBS)/Nimhans, Bengaluru for genomic sequencing.

If the report of the sequencing is consistent with the current SARS-CoV-2 virus genome circulating in the country, the ongoing treatment protocol including home isolation/treatment at facility level as per case severity may be followed.

If the genomic sequencing indicates the presence of new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the patient will continue to remain in a separate isolation unit. While necessary treatment as per the existing protocol will be given, the patient shall be tested on the 14th day after having tested positive in the initial test.

In case the sample is found positive on the 14th day, further samples may be taken, until two consecutive samples taken 24 hours apart test negative.

Those who are found negative on testing with RT-PCR at the airport/seaport would be advised strict quarantine at home for 14 days and followed up.

The concerned airlines shall ensure that prior to check-in, the traveller is explained about this SOP. In-flight announcements must also be made explaining the relevant information to the passengers. Information in this regard shall be prominently displayed in arrival area and waiting area of airports.