New Delhi: The government has announced that it would no longer be essential for incoming international passengers to complete the self-declaration forms for Covid vaccination on the Air Suvidha portal. The decision will take effect at midnight.
This evening, the Civil Aviation Ministry issued the following notice: "In the light of sustained declining COVID-19 trajectory and significant advances being made in COVID-19 vaccination coverage both globally as well as in India, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued revised 'Guidelines for International Arrivals".
The online submission of self-declaration forms through the Air Suvidha site has been suspended in accordance with the Health Ministry's new standards, according to the Aviation Ministry. However, it also included a legal notice that the regulation might be revised if necessary in light of the Covid scenario.
For arriving international passengers, the form on the Air Suvidha portal of the aviation ministry was required. Passengers had to report their vaccination status, along with the dates and number of doses they had received.
This adhered to the norms of the majority of countries, NDTV reported.
The travellers should, according to the government, have had all recommended vaccinations. Additionally, it was preferable to continue with all preventative measures for Covid, such as mask-wearing and maintaining social distancing in airports.
The aviation ministry had previously stated that while wearing a mask is no longer required while flying, travellers should do so to avoid a coronavirus outbreak.
Up until that point, wearing a mask while flying was required.
The decision was made, according to the ministry, in accordance with the government's strategy of a graded approach to Covid-19 management.
Covid statistics have decreased over the past few weeks. According to official data released this morning, there are currently 6,402 active cases or 0.01 per cent of all illnesses. The countrywide recovery rate has risen to 98.8%.