Int’l flights resumption: Carry COVID-19 patient, pay $3,500 fine — FG

Says passengers to pay for coronavirus test

Ahead of international flights’ resumption on August 29, the Federal Government has warned that any airline that boards coronavirus patient risks a fine of $3,500.

National Coordinator, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, who gave the warning in Abuja yesterday during the briefing of the PTF, said passengers coming to the country would pay for their COVID-19 test.

Aliyu said the PTF had concluded that it would now be safe to shorten the isolation period for incoming passengers from 14 days to eight days.

“We’re narrowing the period of validity of PCR test from the current 14 days to 7 days from 29th of August. Preferably, the PCR test should be done as close as possible to the point of departure for Nigeria, preferably from 48 to 72 hours, but we’ll still accept result that are valid for 7 days.

“Prior to boarding, we’re currently developing a payment portal. At the moment, the PCR test we’ve been doing for evacuated passengers has been sponsored by Aliko Dangote Foundation. We’re very grateful for their generosity, we’ve had more than 13,000 stranded Nigerians brought into the country as a result of this process.

“From the 29th of August, travelers will be required to pay for their COVID-19 test in the country. We’re developing a national payment portal which will link to the current Lagos payment portal that’s already active

“We’ll continue with the policy of ensuring that airlines only board passengers without symptoms of COVID-19 and with negative PCR result. Airlines will be fined $3,500 per passenger if they fail to comply with pre-boarding COVID-19 requirements.

“On arrival in-country from the 29th of August, passports will no longer be retained by the Nigerian Immigration Service, rather, passengers will be allowed to proceed and exit the airport once they can show evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR result, evidence of payment for a PCR result in-country and where possible and where we’ve been able to sort this health questionnaire form that has been submitted either manually or electronically.

“Passengers will be asked to proceed on selfisolation at home for a period of seven days. On day seven, they’ll proceed to sample collection center or laboratory for a repeat COVID-19 PCR test, by day eight, if the PCR test is negative, they will be allowed to exit isolation.

“Passengers will be monitored by public health officers throughout the period of self-isolation, those who develop symptoms will be treated in the same way that we currently manage our COVID-19 patients”, he said.

“In terms of ensuring compliance with the COVID-19 protocols, we are currently working with Nigeria Immigration Service to design a system that will allow us to determine those who have not submitted themselves for a repeat of PRC test from day seven upwards.

“These passengers may be sanctioned with inclusion on travel watch list, their electronic passport suspended for a period of time, if they decline to have a repeat PRC test or disappear from the isolation process.

“We will continue to pay very close attention to laboratories accreditation throughout the country as well as outside the country.

“These protocols will be reviewed in four weeks to ensure that results we’re getting from passengers pre-boarding will continue to be reliable and if there is a need to review this policy it will be done”, he said.

positive