As UK flights to India resume, Delhi makes RT-PCR tests, 14-day quarantine must

The Delhi government has issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for passengers who will be arriving in the national capital from the United Kingdom (UK) as flights between India and the UK resumed today. India had suspended all passenger flights connecting the two countries from December 23 to January 7 as a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus emerged in the UK.

According to the directions issued by the Delhi government, all the passengers from the UK would have to get themselves tested for the coronavirus on their arrival. All the passengers would be subjected to RT-PCR tests on their arrival.

Those who are found positive would be sent to a 14-day mandatory institutional isolation facility and those testing negative for the coronavirus would be taken to a quarantine centre for seven days, followed by a seven-day home quarantine.

"Those who are found positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate (isolation) unit as per existing laid down protocol. Those who are found negative shall be kept in compulsory institutional quarantine for a period of 7 days followed by 7 days of home quarantine," said the order released by the Delhi government.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "To protect Delhiites from exposure to virus from UK, Del govt takes imp decisions. All those arriving from UK, who test positive will be isolated in an isolation facility. Negative ones will be taken to a quarantine facility for 7 days followed by 7 days home quarantine."

To protect Delhiites from exposure to virus from UK, Del govt takes imp decisions.

All those arriving from UK, who test positive will be isolated in an isolation facility. Negative ones will be taken to a quarantine facility for 7 days followed by 7 days home quarantine pic.twitter.com/hYDsaOn8q1 — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 8, 2021

The Centre, too, had issued a set of guidelines for the states amid the concerns over the new coronavirus strain. Apart from the mandatory RT-PCR tests, India made negative Covid test reports mandatory for all the passengers from the UK.

While the Delhi government has made seven-day institutional quarantine a must for the passengers who test negative, the Centre had said passengers testing negative would be advised for 14-day home quarantine.

Earlier, Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday urged the Centre to extend the ban on flights between India and the UK till January 31 in view of the “extremely serious” coronavirus situation in that country.

“The Centre has decided to lift the ban and start UK flights. In view of the extremely serious situation in the UK, I would urge the central government to extend the ban till January 31,” Arvind Kejriwal said on Twitter.

“With great difficulty, people have brought the coronavirus situation in control. UK's coronavirus situation is very serious. Now, why lift ban and expose our people to risk?” the chief minister said.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said that flights between India and the United Kingdom will resume partially from January 8.