South Africa has scrapped the mandatory PCR test that travellers had to submit before entering the nation, allowing fully vaccinated passengers to enter without taking this test. Check out the details below. By Anushka Goel
If you’ve been planning on visiting South Africa, now is the perfect chance for you. The country has scrapped its mandatory PCR test requirements for vaccinated passengers, which means that you can enter without the hassles, writes iNews.
South Africa scraps PCR test for vaccinated passengers
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According to Al Jazeera, President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement to reduce restrictions, that have been in place since March 2020, when the pandemic began, on Tuesday. This decision comes as new infection rates slow and death rates decline, the report adds.
“Travellers entering South Africa will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours,” Ramaphosa said in his live TV announcement on Tuesday. Earlier, all travellers were required to show a negative PCR test, but now, those who have been vaccinated can be allowed to forego the test and simply show proof of vaccination.
According to iNews, most domestic COVID-19 have been scrapped now, though one still has to wear their mask in indoor public spaces. Some indoor venues may also require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of entry. Further, indoor venues can be operational at 50 per cent of their capacity, Al Jazeera writes.
South Africa has been among the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with the third wave – that of the Omicron variant – wreaking havoc on its citizens. Thus, this relaxation in travel comes as a major respite, in an attempt to hopefully boost tourism to the region and attempt to uplift the economy, since social and economic restrictions have now been lifted.
Related: I Travelled To South Africa During The COVID-19 Pandemic — Here’s What It’s Like To Visit Now
Anushka Goel
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