Kenya Maintains Flights to & from Southern Africa despite Omicron Threat

Kenya will maintain flights to and from southern Africa nations, including South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini, despite a highly infectious new coronavirus strain (Omicron).

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) director-general Gilbert Kibe says that instead, the country has issued stricter measures for allowing in travellers from the southern African nations, which includes enhanced screening. Travellers must also present negative COVID-19 test results obtained 96 hours before arrival.

Further, all travellers from southern African states must be fully vaccinated and possess a PCR negative test result to be allowed entry into Kenya without quarantine

Last week, the Angolan government announced suspension of flights to South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Tanzania, due to the emergence of the new variant. Rwanda followed suit, with RwandAir suspending flights to and from Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, Lusaka in Zambia and Harare in Zimbabwe.

The UK and US have also banned flights from the aforementioned countries.

However, South Africa has protested against the flight bans, terming them “unjustified” and “punishment” for its scientific transparency.

See Also:

New Omicron Variant Prompts Rwandair & Angola to Halt Flights to Southern Africa