UAE authorities suspend entry of travellers from 4 countries
The decision, taken by the GCAA and NCEMA, is applicable to the entry of travellers who were in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka in the last 14 days before coming to the UAE
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority ( NCEMA) have announced that entry from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka will be suspended for all incoming passengers on national and foreign carriers, as well as those carrying transit passengers, starting from 23:59 on Wednesday ( May 12).
The decision exempts transit flights coming to the UAE and heading towards these countries.
This decision is applicable to the entry of travellers who were in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka in the last 14 days before coming to the UAE.
Flights between these countries and the UAE will continue to operate, allowing the transportation of passengers from the UAE to those countries.
It will also allow the transfer of some exempted groups from the four aforementioned countries to the UAE, with strict enforcement of precautionary measures.
These groups include UAE citizens, diplomats appointed by the UAE in these countries, official delegations, businessmen’s chartered flights, and those holding golden residency visa, provided that they undertake preventive measures that include quarantine for 10 days and a PCR test at the airport, as well as on the fourth and eighth days following the entry into the country.
Moreover, the validity of PCR test period has been reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours prior to travel from accredited laboratories that issue test results carrying a QR code.
The authority also confirmed that it is required for those coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka through other countries to stay in those countries for at least 14 days before being allowed to enter the UAE. Cargo flights will continue to operate between the UAE and these countries.
The authority called upon all travellers affected by the decision to follow up with the relevant airlines to change or reschedule their flights and to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without delay.
Kuwait has also suspended flights, and barred entry to travellers, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka until further notice, state news agency KUNA said on Monday, to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
The decision by the Gulf state’s cabinet did not include cargo flights.
To enter Kuwait from the four countries, people must have been in another country for at least 14 days beforehand, the statement said.
Kuwait last week said it would ban citizens who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 from travelling aboard from May 22.
Recently, the General Civil Aviation Authority and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority announced the suspension of all inbound flights for national and international carriers coming from India.
The travel suspension includes inbound transit passengers with exception of transit flights coming to the UAE and heading to India, the GCAA said.
Meanwhile, the UAE and Bahrain established “a safe travel corridor” for those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, UAE state news agency said on Monday citing a joint statement.
Those who have been vaccinated will be free to travel between the two countries as of Eid Al Fitr, by the end of this week, without having to quarantine on arrival but applying other precautionary measures adopted in the destination, the statement said.
Citizens and residents wishing to benefit from the exemption in both countries will be required to show that they have received a final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The World Health Organisation ( WHO) said on Monday the world was seeing a plateauing in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, with declines in most regions including the Americas and Europe, the two worst-affected regions.
Yet infections and deaths in India held close to record daily highs, increasing calls for the government to lock down the country.
Egypt’s Eva Pharma signed an agreement to provide India with 300,000 doses of remdesivir, used in the treatment of COVID-19, the company said in a statement.