- Departing from its earlier practice of testing passengers arriving from high-risk countries only, Uganda has now introduced a mandatory Covid-19 test for all passengers arriving in Uganda.
- A statement from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority explained that the mandatory test costing Sh4,000 has been introduced to tighten containment measures and avert a possible third wave.
Departing from its earlier practice of testing passengers arriving from high-risk countries only, Uganda has now introduced a mandatory Covid-19 test for all passengers arriving in Uganda. A statement from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority explained that the mandatory test costing Sh4,000 has been introduced to tighten containment measures and avert a possible third wave. A Notice to Airmen (Notam) conveying the details of the mandatory testing requirements to all airlines is being processed and issued.
The development will be a setback to regional carriers such as Kenya Airways, which are just recovering from the COVID-induced recession and travel restrictions. Kenya Airways has the maximum number of flights to Uganda in the region. Stringent travel norms are bound to affect the traffic on the route affecting its revenue. KQ in July had to reduce the number of flights to Uganda from 12 a week to nine due to low demand.
Testing laboratories at the airport and trained laboratory technicians, and other staff to manage the process have been set up by the Ministry of Health in Uganda. Five PCR test machines with the capacity to test 3,600 passengers in 12 hours have been installed. The passengers also have to present a negative PCR test done not more than 72 hours prior to travel.
