Follow guidelines, Hardeep Puri tells flyers as flight ops set to resume

The home ministry has issued a 12-point guideline for domestic travel by air train and buses. Under the guidelines, dos and don’ts shall be provided along with tickets to the travelers by the agencies concerned.

Ahead of domestic flights resuming on Monday, aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri reminded flyers to strictly follow the latest travel guidelines issued by the Union home ministry.

“Latest guidelines on domestic & international travel have been issued by @MoHFW_INDIA. I hope travellers strictly follow these self-regulatory norms & strengthen India’s hands in this fight against COVID19. Remember, each one of us is a soldier against the pandemic,” Puri tweeted.

The home ministry has issued a 12-point guideline for domestic travel by air train and buses. Under the guidelines, dos and don’ts shall be provided along with tickets to the travelers by the agencies concerned and all passengers shall be advised to download the Argoya Setu app on their mobile phones.

“The states/UTs shall ensure that all passengers shall undergo thermal screening at the point of departure and only asymptomatic passengers shall be allowed to board the flight/train/bus,” the guideline said.

During boarding and travel, all passengers shall use masks and follow “hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and environmental hygiene.”

Airports/railway stations/bus stations should be regularly sanitized/disinfected and there should be thermal screening at exit points.

“Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with the advice that they shall self-monitor their health for 14 days. In case they develop any symptoms, they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre (1075),” it said.

Those found symptomatic will be isolated and taken to the nearest health facility and assessed for clinical severity and those with moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to a dedicated Covid health facility and managed accordingly.

Those having mild symptoms will be given the option of home isolation or isolated in Covid Care Centre as appropriate and tested as per ICMR protocol. If positive, they will continue in Covid Care Centre and will be managed as per clinical protocol. If negative, the passenger may be allowed to go home, isolate himself/herself and self-monitor his/her health for further 7 days. In case of any symptoms, they have been advised to district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre (1075).

Although the guidelines are extensive, a note at the end of it said state governments can develop their own protocol with regards to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment.