This archive report was first published on 28 October 2021.
Published on October 28, 2021, Uganda has tightened its Covid-19 containment measures by introducing a $30 mandatory test for all air travellers.
The new directive, which is set to take effect immediately, requires passengers to undergo a Covid-19 test before entering the country.
According to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, the measure is intended to curb further importation of the deadly variants of the coronavirus into the country and prevent the spread of the disease.
The testing laboratories have been set up at the airport, and laboratory technicians, data entrants, and port-health staff have been trained to manage the process.
The turnaround time for the mandatory Covid-19 test results will be reduced from four hours to two hours and fifteen minutes, with five PCR test machines capable of testing 300 samples per hour in place at Entebbe.
Passengers will also be required to present a negative PCR test done not more than 72 hours prior to travel.
The new directive comes as a blow to regional carriers, including Kenya Airways, which has previously cited containment measures as a negative impact on demand.
