No more physical Covid-19 vaccination certs at airports, Government says

Passengers at the JKIA's international arrival terminal. [courtesy]

The Government of Kenya says it won’t accept travellers’ physical Covid-19 vaccination certificates at all points of entry, particularly airports.

The State has, instead, asked all passengers arriving into the country to upload their vaccination papers on the Global Haven.

Kenya also announced, in a statement by the Ministry of Health, that travellers from South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique and Botswana will undergo rapid Covid-19 antigen test before being allowed into the country.

Additionally, the government has announced that any passenger with flu-like symptoms at the point of entry, or those who develop clinical symptoms within 14 days of arrival into the country, shall be placed under mandatory quarantine and be tested for Covid-19 at government testing facilities.

The ministry further says all passengers arriving in the country, except children below the age of five, must be in possession of a valid Covid-19 negative PCR test certificate.

The test must have been conducted within 72 hours before departure, regardless of the route of entry.

Kenyans returning from abroad will be forced into ten-day isolation in a government facility should they test positive on antigen RDT.

Further, they shall be subjected to a Covid-19 PCR test before being discharged.

Airlines have been advised to ensure that all travellers have uploaded Covid-19 certificates into the Global Haven before boarding.

This order, however, will not affect the flight operating crew. The crew will be exempted from the Covid-19 test when on a layover between flights. They must, however, adhere to Covid-19 protocols from airport to hotel or residence and back to the airport.

Also exempted from the quarantine measures are diplomats and senior government officials, though the ministry adds that they must be in possession of a negative PCR test conducted within 72 hours before travel.

Passengers travelling out of Kenya will require a Covid-19 vaccination certificate. In addition, they will be required to abide by the particular travel, health and Covid-19 related requirements of the destination country.

One might also be required to take a pre-departure test. This, however, will be at the discretion of the airline one uses to depart from or terminate in Kenya.

Citizens of 211 nations, including the United Kingdom, the US, South Africa, China and Tanzania, will not be required to isolate upon arrival in Kenya.