COVID-19: Variant complicates life for passengers from the UK and South Africa. As part of the measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, Nigerian authorities have announced new travel measures for air passengers coming to the country from the UK and South Africa.
The measures target passengers from the countries where a new variant of coronavirus has been detected. Germany has already made the move to ban travel to the UK and we wrote about it here>>>
Under the measures announced by the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, “all passengers coming into the country from the UK and South Africa on direct flights, must use the Nigerian International Travel Portal to register, fill in the health questionnaire and must upload a negative COVID-19 PCR result with a validity of not more than five days and must pay for a COVID PCR test at day seven of arrival in country without which they will not be allowed to board the flights”.
READ ALSO: Germany bans flights from the UK due to virus ‘mutation’
Nigerian authorities will also open a special register at the airports for passengers from these two countries specifically to track and ensure they’re present for COVID test.
Mr Aliyu warned that sanctions will be applied to passengers who present fake PRC result, Daily Trust reported.
He said: “We continue to be concerned about the emergence of the new variant coronavirus in the UK and additional mutate that was described coming from South Africa. The system for travels in terms of ensuring the safety of our citizens and preventing the importation of cases in the country is one of the strictest,” Mr Aliyu said. “We are one of the few countries that do double testing, that have a travel portal where you can go in and enter your details including your health questionnaire and pay for a test. Specifically, for the UK and South Africa, the PTF has met and we have decided that additional measures would be required to ensure the safety of our citizens.”
All passengers heading to Nigeria from the UK and South Africa must have a negative COVID-19 PCR result and a permit to travel document, which government will use to refer to as the QR code.
“If you do not present a permit travel or you cannot present a travel permit, the airlines are being directed not to board. So, if you are coming into Nigeria from the UK and South Africa, it is in your best interest to familiarise yourself with the Nigerian International Travel Portal and make sure that you put in your health details, upload your PCR result that has to be negative and you pay for a day seven test upon arrival in Nigeria”, Mr Aliyu said. “The second enforcement that we will have has to do with the seven-day self-isolation upon arrival in the country. We had a lot of debates as to if we should institute mandatory quarantine when the people arrive.”
The new measures entered into force on December 28th.