No institutional quarantine needed for vaccinated international passengers said: BMC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday night put out new rule that passengers from Europe, the UK, the Middle East, South Africa and Brazil should no longer be subject to the mandatory institutional quarantine on arrival in Mumbai if they have received two doses of the vaccine.  At the request of senior citizens and medical professionals traveling to attend to critically ill patients, BMC issued guidelines on revised compulsory quarantine for international travellers.

In addition to those who have been vaccinated, BMC will exclude international travellers from six other categories - medical professionals traveling to attend critical care over the age of 65, pregnant women, parents with children under the age of 5, and travellers with serious illnesses who require immediate medical attention in case of extreme family distress, i.e.  Family member “Travellers from these special categories may be considered for a seven-day exemption from institutional quarantine according to the satisfaction of the officer in charge of the airport,” read the BMC guideline.  Medical professionals who intend to travel for life-saving surgery or attend to critically ill patients will be excluded from the institutional quarantine if they provide evidence from the hospital that they are performing the surgery or providing medical services. 

Excluded passengers are required to abide by the remaining rules, such as maintaining social distance and wearing masks in public places.  Prior to this guideline, government officials, embassy officials, pregnant women, and next-of-kin deceased passengers were considered for exemption from compulsory institutional quarantine.  From December 21 last year, BMC imposed a seven-day institutional ban on passengers from Europe, the UK, the Middle East, South Africa and Brazil.  If, after seven days, they are Covid positive, the passengers will be transferred to private hospitals, unlike the previous ones, when they were transferred to insulation facilities at GT Hospital or Seven Hills Hospital.