Here's some much-needed good news for people who have been lamenting the various bans on travellers from India.
On Tuesday (June 1), the Dutch government announced that the ban on passenger flights from India, South America, Central America and South Africa is being lifted. Travellers from these regions will be allowed to enter the country if they test negative for COVID-19 and are also willing to follow the strict quarantine guidelines.
The Netherlands has imposed a mandatory quarantine rule from June 1, especially for those arriving from high-risk countries like Argentina, Brazil, Bahrain, South Africa and India.
Earlier, on April 26, The Netherlands had decided to suspend passenger flights from India, stating the serious epidemiological situation in India. This ban was further extended till June 1.
According to the new regulations, after arriving in The Netherlands, travellers have to quarantine for ten days in any location. The quarantine period can be reduced to five days if the traveller tests negative for COVID-19 after five days.
What remains in place is the ban by the EU on travellers from non-EU countries where the COVID-19 situation is considered to be very high risk. This ban exempts family members of EU residents, students, and business travellers.
Before you do decide to travel to the Netherlands, check some other points on their website here. These will be updated as soon as possible to reflect new developments.
India had seen a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases during the second wave and the death count had also gone up. This resulted in many countries announcing a ban on Indian travellers.