By Josephine Isaac
The Federal Government has cancelled the compulsory COVID-19 test for vaccinated travelers coming into Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made this known during a press briefing on Monday.
He pointed out that in-bound fully vaccinated passengers arriving in the country will no longer be required to take a pre-departure PCR COVID-19 Test.
Mustapaha stated that fully vaccinated passengers on arrival would undergo a rapid antigen test at the airport by the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC ), within the arrival hall of all the country’s point of entry and airports
The PSC boss added that fully vaccinated passengers will not be charged for arrival rapid antigen tests at the airport.
The SGF revealed that the revised international travel protocols, would take effect on Monday, 4th April, 2022.
He said: “Passengers who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated shall take a COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours before departure, or do a Day 2 and day 7 test on arrival. Such passengers will be expected to pay for their PCR tests through the travel platform.
“Rules that apply to fully vaccinated adults also apply to children aged 10 – 18 years; they will not be required to have pre-arrival PCR tests but will have a sample taken at the arrival hall but not charged.
“All passengers travelling out of Nigeria are encouraged to be fully vaccinated and to fully comply with COVID-19 protocols and requirements in their country of destination.”
The SGF said that the PSC continues to strongly recommend the use of face masks in enclosed environments, while n open spaced, the use of face masks was discretional.
Mustapha also said that the country still has the National Response in place as its continue to monitor global trends and adapt them with the situation in country.
He stressed that there had been a consistent decline in number of cases around the world but that does not give Nigerians the leverage to let their guards down yet because there were predictions of rebounds as Nigerians can see in China, South Korea, Germany, Vietnam, France, Hong Kong.
