The state government of Goa has ruled out new quarantine rules as revealed by the Airports Authority of India. Institutional quarantine is now mandatory for symptomatic passengers till test results are out. The new directives require all passengers landing in Goa to go for 14-day home quarantine or 14 days of paid institutional quarantine. Institutional quarantine is compulsory for symptomatic passengers until the test result is available.
Passengers can skip home quarantine only in the following cases:
- If the passenger furnishes a COVID-19 negative certificate issued by an ICMR-recognized lab. The test should not be older than 48 hours prior to the arrival in Goa.
- If the passenger chooses to take a swab test upon landing at a cost of INR 2000, and goes into paid institutional/home quarantine until the result is out.
Check out guidelines for tourists opting for home quarantine:
- Booking the accommodation in hotels is compulsory and it will be verified at entry points in Goa.
- If a tourist shows COVID symptoms upon arrival during the screening at entry points, he/she will have to undergo a COVID-19 test at the authorized centers at his/her own expense.
- The authorities will be verifying:
- If the visitor has made a booking with any registered hotel unit affiliated to the Department of Tourism and has the license to operate, and validity of hotel booking for the duration of the visit.
The tourist must follow the safety protocols:
- If the tourist has a COVID-19 negative certificate, they can directly process it to the hotel. If no such certificate is presented, he/she will be asked to get tested for COVID-19 at the authorized testing centers/hospitals.
- After that, they will be required to go into self-isolation till the rest results are out. The isolation amenity will be offered by the hotel, where you made the bookings.
- Once the test results are out and if the tourist tests negative, he/she can travel out of the isolation facility. However, if the tourist tests positive, the accommodation unit will act as per the rules issued by the state health department. All bills related to the quarantine, tests, etc. shall be paid by the tourists.
- In case, the tourist wishes to move from their initial booking for a stay in Goa, it will be sanctioned with the will of the accommodation units run by the tourism department. The tourist has to present proof of re-booking.
- In a similar case, tourists are required to fill a self-declaration form at the accommodation unit for contact tracing.
- Passengers will have to update the status of their health via the Aarogya Setu mobile app or a self-declaration form.
So, before planning your next trip to Goa, keep all these things in mind.
