Tit-for-tat: 10-day quarantine must for all UK travellers to India, despite vaccination

This will be applicable from October 4. Travellers will also have to take 3 RT PCR tests - within 72 hours before travel, on arrival at airport, and on Day 8 after arrival

Pic courtesy: Pixabay (representational purpose)

New Delhi: In a tit-for-tat move, India has made a 10-day quarantine mandatory for all travellers visiting India from the United Kingdom. This rule will be applicable for all, irrespective of vaccination status. In the backdrop UK not recognising India's covid vaccine certificate, New Delhi has decided to impose this reciprocal measures on UK nationals arriving in the country from the UK. 

It will be applicable to all UK nationals irrespective of their vaccination status. Sources said, "Authorities in the MOH&FW and MOCA would be taking steps to implement the new measures."  This will be applicable from October 4. Whatever be their vaccination status, all UK passengers will have to undergo this mandatory quarantine upon arrival in India. They will also have to undertake three COVID-19 RT-PCR tests - within 72 hours before travel, on arrival at airport, and on Day 8 after arrival, as per media reports. Home or the destination address can be the place where mandatory quarantine is done.

As per the UK government's latest travel rules, while Covishield is an approved vaccine against Covid-19, India's vaccine certificate is not recognised. The Indian government's measure comes as a response to this. Since India's vaccine certification is not on a list of 18 approved countries, Indian travellers to the UK continue to be treated as “non-vaccinated” and therefore required to quarantine for 10 days on arrival.

Currently, Indian travellers who have received both doses of Covishield (as well as other jabs) are considered unvaccinated and they have to undergo self-isolation for 10 days. UK had announced new guidelines last month which will come into effect on October 4. UK's guidelines were seen as discriminatory by India and it includes rules like quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days and COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8 for passengers who aren't fully vaccinated with UK authorised vaccines and certificates. Interestingly India's new rules for UK also come into effect from October 4.