MPs with one jab can attend Parliament without RT-PCR report

Members of Parliament who have received even a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine would be allowed to attend the forthcoming monsoon session without undergoing RT-PCR tests.

The Union health ministry has done away with RT-PCR tests for MPs who have received even one dose of vaccine. This is a major departure from the guidelines that were in place for the budget session earlier this year. At that time, India had opened up its public immunisation drive for healthcare and frontline workers, and later from March 1 for those above 60 years of age. The budget session, which started on January 29, was adjourned sine die on March 25.

Till now, the ministry had not linked MPs’ entry to vaccination status. It was necessary for every member to undergo an RT-PCR test not earlier than 72 hours before attending Parliament. However, with the vaccine coverage increasing, the ministry has now done away with this condition.


The ministry has also introduced a new condition of a repeat RT-PCR test once in two weeks for those who aren’t vaccinated. A ministry official told ET: “Since MPs and their staff would be travelling from different parts of India, this repeat test has been introduced to ensure those attending Parliament remain safe.”