PANAJI
In a positive sign for Goa's tottering tourism sector, travel restrictions including the mandatory seven-day quarantine condition for international travellers arriving in the country from 'at risk' countries will be removed from Monday next.
The curbs on foreign arrivals from 'at risk' countries were introduced by the Union health ministry when the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus had emerged in December last.
The new guidelines which according to the Union Health Ministry will come into force from February 14, recommends self-monitoring for symptoms for foreign arrivals for two weeks instead of the seven-day compulsory quarantine.
According to the new regime applicable from Monday next, people arriving from foreign countries will have to fill an online self-declaration form by downloading it from the Air Suvidha portal in which details of travel history over 14 days will also have to be furnished.
A negative RT-PCR test certificate issued within 72 hours from the date of travel will also have to be uploaded by the arriving passenger. Fully vaccinated travellers, however, can skip the RT-PCR test but the option is available only to citizens of the 72 countries whose vaccination programmes are recognised by the Union government under the reciprocal programme.
Canada, Hong Kong, the United States, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Qatar, Australia, New Zealand, and several European nations are among those countries whose vaccination programme is recognised by India.
