Passengers originating from China will be required to undergo free mandatory COVID-19 testing on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as part of updated travel guidelines for visiting the country.
The passengers from China must also present a valid negative COVID-19 PCR test result 48 hours prior to departure from their originating country per the latest guidelines which come into effect on January 6, 2023.
All other passengers from countries asides from China who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated will be required to present a valid COVID-19 PCR test result 48 hours prior to departure from the originating country. In addition, such passengers will be required to undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing on arrival at the KIA at no cost.
The new guidelines are in response to the change in the global COVID-19 situation, particularly with a surge in new cases in China and other countries as well as Ghana’s relatively low vaccine coverage.
The measures are to address the current threat of COVID-19, especially with regard to the importation of cases.
Sanctions
Passengers may also be selected at random and offered COVID-19 tests on arrival while non-Ghanaians travelling to the KIA with fake or forged vaccination certificates shall be quarantined and returned to the point of embarkation at their own cost.
Airlines that bring passengers to the KIA who are not fully vaccinated or passengers originating from China without a valid negative COVID-19 PCR test result 48 hours prior to departure would be surcharged $3,500.
All arriving passengers will also undergo temperature screening, Yellow Fever Card verification and COVID-19 vaccination certificate verification.
Exemptions
– Children less than 18 years of age are exempted from mandatory vaccination, pre-departure PCR testing and testing on arrival in Ghana
– Airline crew are exempted from the pre-departure and arrival COVID-19 testing and should follow the Airline policy for testing.
– Passengers who arrive under emergency circumstances such as diverted flights will not be required to undergo testing if they do not leave the airport or remain in isolation in their hotel.
Vaccination
Definition of Fully Vaccinated – A person is said to be fully vaccinated when he/she has taken the full dose of vaccines approved and registered by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana or other vaccines prequalified by WHO (https://covid19.trackvaccines.org/agency/who).
All Passengers must present a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated at least 14 days before embarkation except partially vaccinated or unvaccinated Ghanaians who are required to present a negative 48hrs PCR test result to the airline before embarkation and to Port Health upon arrival.
Similar actions
Morocco has also announced similar directives for passengers from China. From Tuesday, Morocco will ban travellers from China regardless of their nationality until further notice.
The Morocco Foreign Ministry said the move is aimed at preventing a spike in infections in the country.
The moves come after China abruptly dropped its Covid-19 controls in December last year.
Other countries outside Africa have also imposed restrictions.
For example, passengers arriving in England from China now have to provide a negative Covid test before they board a flight. The US is testing people on arrival.
Source: Graphic.com.gh
