COVID-19 has certainly upset most travel plans of people all over the world. Be it India or abroad, a new set of rules and regulations have come in, obviously for safety reasons. Truth be told, going out of India to a foreign land is no longer a walk in the park.??
So how does it work? Well, luckily it is not rocket science and there is a method to the madness.?
According to Indian Express, India has air bubble arrangements with Canada, Maldives, UAE, UK, USA, France and Germany.
What is an air bubble? Nothing complicated. It just means that with these nations, India has come to a temporary arrangement of commercial flights taking place until regular flights resume.?
Guidelines for the air bubbles, as per the report, say that foreign citizens, especially of those countries, can stop at these destinations or use them for transit travel. Indian citizens can also fly, but there are conditions. Only those who have a valid one-month's visa at the very least for these countries for purposes other than tourism, can go. That means those having to go for studies or work can do so. In UAE, even tourists are being allowed while USA has is issuing limited student visas. Of course those doing so need to know they are putting themselves at risk and must be aware of the precautions to take.?
For passengers who are travelling abroad from India, different countries have different rules when it comes to isolation and testing. According to the report, France requires people coming from 16 countries and that includes India to take an on-the-spot COVID test. If you are going to the UK from India, then you need to undergo a self-isolation period of 14 days.?
The basic precautions are pretty much the same. Wear masks, PPE kits if necessary, keep hands sanitised and also maintain a bare minimum distance from one another. In case one is feeling feverish, of course go the doctor and get checked. Thermal scans and health declarations are mandatory to clear one for travel. Once you leave India, you are subject the norms of the land you are going to. So make sure you are prepared.