Govt Drops COVID-19 Restrictions For Travellers

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday, May 9 abandoned the restrictions which required all passengers arriving in Kenya through any point of entry to produce a COVID-19 vaccination certificate or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, in a letter to her Foreign Affairs counterpart Alfred Mutua, noted that the Health Ministry revised COVID-19 containment rules after conducting periodic reviews of travel restrictions from different countries based on the guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the Public health considerations while resuming international travel.

Nakhumicha noted that the guidance is based on an analysis of the epidemiological situation which will vary among countries. Currently, all passengers above the age of 12 years arriving into the country are required to be in possession of proof of COVID-19 vaccination certificate.

Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha at her office. /TWITTER.MINISTRY OF HEALTH KENYA

Those without a vaccination certificate for valid reasons are required to be in possession of a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based COVID-19 test results conducted at least 72 hours before the commencement of travel.

"Over the last three (3) months Kenya like most other jurisdictions has witnessed a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and a drop in the overall positivity rate from a weekly average of 2.5% in mid-January 2023 to a weekly average of 0.5 % as at the week ending 30 April 2023. The risk of transmission of the disease, therefore, remains relatively low.

"In view of the above, and in keeping with guidance from World Health Organization, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with regard to de-escalation of containment measures, and the insights from analysis and monitoring of the pandemic in Kenya, the Ministry of Health has recommended a revision of containment measures including the lifting of the requirement to provide proof of vaccination or PCR testing for travellers into the country," Nakhumicha stated in part.

The Health Ministry however noted that only travellers arriving at any port of entry into Kenya with flu-like symptoms will be expected to fill out the passenger locator form on the 'Jitenge' platform.

"They will also be required to take a COVID-I9 antigen test upon arrival at their own cost. Those who turn positive for Antigen testing will be required to take a further COVID-19 PCR test at their own cost," added the CS.

Additionally, those with severe symptoms shall thereafter be allowed to isolate as per the prevailing isolation requirements for mild, moderate and severe disease.

Truck drivers entering the country shall no longer be required to have proof of COVID-19 PCR test or COVID-19 vaccination at the points of entry.

Persons travelling out of the country will be required to abide by the particular travel, health and COVID-19-related requirements of the destination country.

"Pre-departure RDT (Rapid diagnostic tests) or PCR testing may be considered at the discretion of any of the airlines departing from or terminating in Kenya," added the letter.

Nakhumicha further directed the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to amend the latest Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) to reflect the above measures.

The revision of the measures came after the WHO declared on Friday, May 5 that COVID-19 no longer represents a "global health emergency", representing a major step towards ending the pandemic and coming three years after it first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.

The organization declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020, about six weeks before characterizing it as a pandemic, with 765,222,932 cases and 6,921,614 deaths confirmed globally to date.

Three months later, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Kenya by the Ministry of Health. The virus infected 343,060 people and killed 5,688, according to WHO statistics to date.

An illustration of a COVID-19 virus. /CDC