The Federal Government, through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19, has reviewed the quarantine protocol for all passengers originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa with effect from December 28, 2020.
This follows the recent spike in cases of Covid-19 in Nigeria and the reported a highly transmissible new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom and South Africa.
READ: Fake labs, travel frustrations, passengers allege COVID-19 test Scams at airport
This disclosure is contained in a letter with a reference no NCC/DG/AIR/11/16/286, issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on December 26, to all Nigerian and foreign operators flying into Nigeria, and signed by its Director-General, Captain Musa Nuhu.
READ: FG orders passengers from UK, South Africa to register on travel portal
The reviewed protocol from the NCAA is as follows:
For flights and passengers originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa with the final destination being Nigeria, the following shall apply:
- Passengers must present the following 2 documents in order to be allowed to board their flights to Nigeria.
- Pre-departure PERMIT TO FLY/QR code generated from the Nigeria International Travel Portal (https://nitp.ncdc.gov.ng) showing evidence of payment for the post-arrival day 7 COVID-19 PCR test and;
- Documentary evidence of a “NEGATIVE COVID-19“ PCR result done within 96 hours (4 days) of boarding from a verifiable laboratory or health facility.
- On arrival in Nigeria, passengers would be received and processed separately by the Public Health Authority on arrival in Nigeria.
- All passengers would be required to self-isolate for 7 days after arrival, followed by a COVID-19 PCR test.
- Passengers with a post-arrival Negative Covid-19 PCR result can exit isolation at day 8. Those with a Positive Covid-19 PCR result will be referred for isolation and further management.
- A dedicated register of arriving passengers from the United Kingdom and South Africa would be opened for enhanced surveillance and active enforcement of the protocols.
READ: European countries ban flights from UK as new Covid-19 strain spreads
Affected Airlines
This applies to all airlines with passengers originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa regardless of transit arrangements.
Applicability
This shall be applicable to scheduled and non-scheduled flights conveying passengers originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa. The earlier quarantine protocol which became effective on September 18, 2020, shall continue to subsist for a flight originating from other countries except for the validity of the Pre-departure PCR test result which now be 96 hours (4 days) from date of departure.
READ: South Africa denies UK’s claim of new strain of coronavirus
Date
The effective date is Monday, December 28, 2020, at 0001 Local Time (2301UTC).
The NCAA DG pointed out that punitive measures would be taken against airlines who would failed to comply with the content of the All Operators letter.
These punitive measures include:
- Airlines shall be fined $3,500 (Three thousand five hundred dollars) for each defaulting passenger.
- Airlines may be required to return non-Nigerian defaulting passengers to point of embarkation.
- Repeated non-compliance by any airline will lead to the suspension of the Airline`s Approval/Permit to fly into the country.
READ: Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa secures $100m investment in Nigeria data center
What you should know
- The Federal Government had earlier reviewed and emphasized on strict adherence to Covid-19 protocol following a surge in the number of cases across the country.
- This is compounded by the spread of a new strain of the coronavirus disease which has been discovered in the UK and South Africa.