Government to revise Covid-19 restrictions at KIA and borders soon
The Government of Ghana (GoG) has given indication to revise the restrictions put in place at the nation’s premier airport, Kotoka International Airport (KIA), and land borders.
The revision norvanreports understands, follows the general decline in the burden of the Covid pandemic in the past two weeks and the significant slow down in the fourth wave.
The revision is also in view of the very low reported cases of Covid-19 and the improvement in the availability and uptake of over 13m vaccine doses as at March 16, 2022.
Currently, the Covid-19 restriction in place at KIA, allows only fully vaccinated passengers entry into the country. Such passengers undergo 72-hour PCR Test and Antigen test on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated currently, are given waivers by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to allow them entry into the county through the KIA. Such passengers undergo a 72-hour PCR Test and Antigen test on arrival and are offered vaccination.
Following the revision, fully vaccinated travellers would not need PCR and Antigen Tests from the flight originating country to allow them entry into the country through the KIA.
Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana that are not fully vaccinated would need to do a prior arrival 48-hour PCR Test, Antigen test on arrival and will be offered vaccination at the KIA.
Government, aside this, has is expected to announce a revision to the Covid-19 restrictions bordering on the reopening of land and sea borders as well as indoor and outdoor functions such as sporting events, political rallies, funerals and parties.
Read details of the expected revision of the restrictions below:
REVISION OF RESTRICTIONS
There has been a general decline in the burden of COVID 19 over the past 2weeks and the 4th wave appears to be over.
In addition to these very low reported cases is an improvement in the availability and uptake of vaccines (over 27.7million doses of vaccines have been received so far in the country and 13million doses have been administered as at 16th March, 2022).
Reasonable vaccination coverages have been achieved particularly in the hotspots and urban areas of Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. We shall continue to use all means to increase the deployment of vaccination across the country to achieve the targeted 20million population by June 2022.
We shall continue to motivate and encourage all Ghanaian who have not yet vaccinated to go for their jabs.
The ECOWAS region especially our neighbouring countries also have very low levels of infections, these favourable conditions have necessitated the revision of the restrictions of COVID-19 enacted under E.I. 64.
General revisions
- Wearing of facemasks
- Mandatory wearing of facemasks in open public places is not necessary, however people are encouraged to maintain social distancing and avoid overcrowding in public spaces to ensure limitation of risk of spreading.
- Wearing of masks is mandatory for all indoor functions.
- Handwashing and hand hygiene is encouraged at all public places and private functions before entry.
- Indoor functions / events (conference, workshop, private parties, cinemas, and theatrical events and centres)
- All in-person activity is to resume at full capacity, as long as all the audience / participants are vaccinated. All audience / participants are required to wear their facemasks whiles inside.
- Hand washing and hand sanitising should be made normal practice.
- As much as possible, vaccination points would be mounted in churches, mosque and other event places to make vaccination available to the public
- Mandatory wearing of masks in all public transports should be adhered to
- Outdoor functions (sporting event, entertainment spots, political rallies, funerals, etc)
Events are to resume at full capacity, as long as all the audience/participants are fully vaccinated. Wearing of facemask is advised though not mandatory.
Sanitising and handwashing should be made normal practice
- Handshake and hugging are discouraged
NB:
- For both indoor and outdoor functions – Vaccination points would be available at all places of gatherings i.e. stadia, lorry parks, cinemas, churches, mosques, etc.
- We acknowledge the support all religious and traditional leaders, Agencies and Institutions have been giving to us throughout the fight against the pandemic and we will continue to engage them to encourage their congregants and subjects respectively to be vaccinated to achieve the targeted 20 million by June, 2022.
Revision of interventions at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA)
- Currently, the point of entry allows only fully vaccinated passengers entry into the country. Such passengers undergo 72-hour PCR Test and Antigen test on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
- Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated currently, are given waivers by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to allow them entry into the county through the KIA. Such passengers undergo a 72-hour PCR Test and Antigen test on arrival and are offered vaccination.
The following revisions are being proposed:
- Fully vaccinated travellers would not need PCR and Antigen Tests from the country of embarkation to allow them entry into the country through the KIA.
- Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana not fully vaccinated would need to do a prior arrival 48-hour PCR Test, Antigen test on arrival and will be offered vaccination at the KIA.
Opening of land and sea borders
- All land and sea borders would be opened.
- Fully vaccinated travellers would be allowed entry through the land and sea borders without any PCR and Antigen tests from the country of embarkation.
- Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana who are not fully vaccinated would have to do a prior arrival 48-hour PCR Test and will be offered vaccination at the point of entry.
- All foreigners should be fully vaccinated to be allowed entry through the land and sea boarders.
NB:
- Foreign missions are to make vaccination a requirement for visa acquisition.
- Vaccination points would be made available at all points of entry.
- Arrangement for digitised validation of vaccination cards will be put in place by the GHS and Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).