Rules for Visitors to India Will Include Random COVID Testing

According to Mansukh Mandaviya, India's health minister, the government would begin randomly testing 2% of overseas travellers arriving at its airports for COVID-19.

This change is part of India's efforts to keep a closer eye on the spread of new coronavirus strains.

"The global pandemic is not yet over. [...] The virus is changing its face from time to time," Mandaviya commented. Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also scheduled to meet with senior government officials to discuss the ongoing issue with COVID-19.

State governments have been urged to continue raising people's consciousness about the necessity of hand washing and wearing a mask throughout the impending holiday season, Mandaviya added, as every day, India reports an average of 153 new cases of COVID. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health, there are currently 3,402 active cases in the nation.

India's most famous landmark, the Taj Mahal, which sees thousands of visitors daily, will as well demand visitors to pass a COVID-19 test.

This week, Indian federal authorities urged individual Indian states to be vigilant for the appearance of any new strains. Citing a spike in COVID-19 cases in China and elsewhere, it recommended people to use masks in packed places.

In spite of the fact that wearing a mask to public events has been optional for months, several legislators have been seen during the current winter session of parliament sporting face coverings.

India is second only to the United States in total recorded COVID cases, with over 44 million. The good news is that there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of confirmed cases during the previous several months.

To what extent are Indian e-visas still accessible?

India resumed allowing British citizens to go there with electronic visas earlier this month. At the peak of the epidemic in March of 2020, the electronic visa (e-visa) programme was suspended, which was valid for travellers from 164 nations, including the United Kingdom.

It was partly reinstated for visitors from 156 countries last year, but the United Kingdom was left off the list, causing visa delays for hundreds of British tourists.

For British citizens, the time-consuming and inconvenient process of scheduling in-person interviews and appointments to apply for a visa is no longer necessary.

 

Source: euronews.com