The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Uganda has suspended travels for passengers coming from 12 countries as the country steps up the prevention measures against coronavirus.
In a circular statement issued bearing the name of professor David M. Kakuba director-general Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, UCAA management said, following the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the government of Republic Uganda has given directives in addition to the Ministry of Health escalating passengers screening at all points of entry into Uganda.
It is stated that the following procures shall therefore apply in respect to international flights operations at Entebbe International Airport:
“Travel for all passengers coming into Uganda from any of the category one (1) countries listed in the attachments to this circular), with reported coronavirus (COVID-19) cases is hereby suspended,” the statement reads in part.
Some of these countries in category one are China, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, United States of America, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Norway.
With regards to individuals, UCAA management said Ugandan citizens and other nationals with valid permits will be allowed to enter Uganda provided they proceed on institutional quarantine as designated by the government of Uganda, for fourteen days.
“All costs associated with institutional quarantine shall be met by the passengers; the airline shall ensure that the passenger has a prior booking at any of the government designated quarantine areas,” the UCAA management said.
UCAA management further stated that all international passengers arriving passengers shall be subjected to physical and temperature screening upon arriving at Entebbe International Airport. All airlines shall ensure that passengers fill and submit travel surveillance forms (TSF) on board the aircraft before disembarking.
“The dully-filled forms shall be handed over to the Ministry of health personnel on arrival. All airlines are also required to provide advance passenger manifest of the relevant port health office at the airport, upon identifying case while the aircraft is in flight, inform the port health officer at the airport through Air Traffic Control about Aircraft identification departures aerodrome, estimated time of arrival and number of suspected case on board.”
In a related move, UCAA management said disembarking crew or crew change arising from category one countries will be quarantined at the designated hotel; All the internal passengers shall dispose off their masks or and after use during travel at designated waste collection containers upon arrival, collection wear mask upon arrival, frontline staff shall and/or gloves as may be prescribed by the Ministry of Health, after disembarking of passengers for COVID -19 in accordance with the operator’s arrangements, all operations shall be required to submit spraying SOPS to Ministry of health Uganda for an acceptance.
“The purpose of this circular is to bring the above requirements to the attention of all airlines and other stakeholder and to require immediate compliance,” UCAA said in the public notice issued on March 19, 2020.