Following the resumption of international flights on September 5; the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has issued a provisional quarantine protocol for travellers arriving Nigeria from any country.
With this protocol, travellers can know what they need to do before arriving the country.
The document dated 21st August 2020, states that all intending travellers to Nigeria must have tested negative for COVID-19 by PCR in country of departure pre-boarding and PCR test must be within seven days before departure and preferably within 72 hours pre-boarding.
According to the document, for certain countries, COVID-19 PCR tests will only be acceptable from specified laboratories and tests done more than seven days before departure are not valid and persons will not be allowed to board; but for the 72 hours minimum, this is advisory and will not preclude boarding.
“All intending passengers are required to register via a national payment portal online(details to be made available) and pay for a repeat (second) PCR test will be done upon arrival in Nigeria.This payment portal will provide passengers with the options of where and when to carry out the PCR test.
“Passengers will be given an appointment time and date to present themselves at the Sample Collection Centers located in their States of residence for a repeat COVID-19 PCR test on the 7th day after arrival. A list of accredited private laboratory providers and Sample Collection Centers across the country will be available on the payment platform and the NCDC website.
“Passengers will also fill in the online Health Declaration/Self Reporting Form co-located on the same national payment platform and submit online or print out for presentation on arrival.They should ensure that the information/contact details provided on the form are correct, verifiable and that they can be reached on the phone number and address provided.
“Passengers must inform Port Health officials on arrival of any change in their health circumstances since completion of the Health Declaration/Self-
Reporting Form,” the document reads.
The document further states that prior to boarding, passengers are requested to upload their COVID-19 PCR negative results onto the national payment portal and bring along an electronic or hardcopy of the result for presentation at
the airport.
At the time of boarding, all travellers will undergo thermal screening for fever and questioned for symptoms of COVID-19. Passengers with COVID-19 related signs and symptoms will not be allowed
to board the flight.
The PTF requests that arlines must only board passengers with test results showing that the tests were done within the stipulated seven days before boarding and airlines that board passengers without a negative COVID-19 PCR tests or test results of more than seven days prior to boarding will be sanctioned.
“Non-Nigerians may be refused entry and returned to the point of embarkation at cost to the airlines. Nigerians will be allowed entry but subjected to 14 days of mandatory quarantine at a facility
approved by Government and at cost to the passenger.
“Airlines will be fined USD 3,500 dollars per passenger for failure to comply with the pre-boarding requirements,” the document reads.
For passengers/persons arriving in Nigeria, PTF states that they will be required on arrival at the airport, to go through the routine port health screening and present electronic or print-out evidence of pre-boarding PCR test results and evidence of payment/appointment for a repeat PCR test in-country.
Passengers are required to present their international passports for clearance through the Nigerian Immigration System’s Migrants Identification Data Analysis System (MIDAS); the biodata page including passengers’ picture will be forwarded to all COVID-19 PCR Sample Collection Centers to enable proper identification before sample collection.
Passports will not be retained by the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Passengers will proceed on a 7-day self-isolation/quarantine, during which time they are to avoid physical interaction with friends, family, colleagues, and other members of the public (i.e.must observe strict physical and social distancing).
According to the document, passengers must present themselves at the sample collection centers on the seventh day of arrival; samples will be taken and a COVID-19 PCR test done; a reminder text message may be sent to the
passenger by the private laboratory provider a day before the appointment.
“Passengers who fail to submit themselves at the sample collection centers on day seven of arrival will
be sent text reminders and their details forwarded to the State Public Health Department teams and NCDC for active followup.
“Private laboratories will be required to forward details of passengers who decline repeat PCR test by day 14 of arrival for sanctioning.These passengers may be sanctioned with suspension of their passports or inclusion on a travel watch list for six months and denied foreign travel for this period.
“Test results will be ready within 24 to 48 hours and the State Public Health Department teams and Nigeria Center for Disease Control will be informed accordingly.
Persons who test positive for COVID-19 will be managed based on national guidelines for COVID-19 treatment. Persons who test negative for COVID-19 after seven days will end self-isolation on the 8th day,” the document states.
Travellers reporting or developing symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival, or during screening will not be allowed to self-quarantine and will be placed in institutional quarantine.
For deportees, if one person tests positive for COVID-19, all close primary contacts will be required to undergo enhanced screening and a follow-up PCR test if necessary.
Passengers will be monitored by public health officers during the period of self–
isolation/quarantine. For this reason, passengers will be required to provide a functioning telephone number on their online registration forms.
Persons who develop symptoms of COVID-19 during the isolation period will immediately be tested for COVID-19. If positive, they will be managed based on
national guidelines for COVID-19 treatment.
Persons who have tested negative for COVID-19 after seven days of self isolation/quarantine will be allowed to exit self-isolation on day eight.
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