Eswatini Daily News
By: Nomzamo Jiyane
27 November 2021
International News- The UAE has banned direct flights from southern Africa following the discovery of a new variant of the Covid-19 virus.
The decision which will come into effect on 29 November 2021, will affect passengers who travelled through South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and Eswatini in the last 14 days.
The General Civil Aviation Authority and National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Emergency Management Authority made the announcement on Friday. Flights will continue to transport passengers from the UAE to these seven countries for now. Citizens of the UAE, members of the diplomatic missions, official delegations and those with golden residents visas are excluded from the news rules.
Those who are exempted will need to present a negative Covid-19 test obtained within 48 hours of departure, take a rapid PCR test at the airport within six hours of departure and perform another PCR test at the airport when arriving in the UAE. A 10-day quarantine and a PCR test on the ninth day of entering the country will be required as well.
Official delegations will be required to quarantine at the airport until their test results are received and then will be able to continue their mission in the UAE without the 10-day quarantine. UAE citizens are prohibited form travelling to the affected countries unless they are involved in emergency treatment cases, are members of an official delegation or are on scholarships.
The announcement comes after the WHO designated the new B.1.1.529 Omicron strain as a “variant of concern”.
UAE Issues Travel Ban to 7 Countries in Southern Africa.
