Malawi makes wearing face masks mandatory at airports: ‘No Covid-19 certificate, no entry’

Government has made wearing face masks at Airports mandatory and all travellers coming into Malawi will be required to produce a Covid-19 negative certificate upon arrival at the airport.

Announcing new prevention measures put in place at the airport for the incoming passengers, Minister of Health Khumbidze Chiponda said travellers be asked to exhibit the Covid-19 negative certificate obtained within 10 days prior to arrival in the country.

The new measures follow the re-opening of Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) on September 1st 2020 and the first commercial flight arriving at the airport in Lilongwe on Saturday, September 5.

“At the airport, wearing of face mask is mandatory and travellers will also be required to practice hand hygiene and strictly observe physical distance of at least 1 metre at the screening area and throughout the terminal building.

“The Port Health Officers will screen all travellers and the travellers will be required to fill the health declaration forms,” said Chiponda.

She further reminded Malawians planning to go outside to always check the COVID-19 requirements for the destination country.

According to her, most countries are requiring a negative COVID-19 test certificate obtained within 14 days (varies from country to country) prior to arrival in the destination country.

“Please contact your nearest District Health Office for COVID- 19 testing prior to departure and you will be required to produce necessary travel documentation as a requirement.

“Other countries also require traveller to be under mandatory institutional/home quarantine for 14 days, mandatory wearing of face mask and other various screening processes hence the need to get these requirements in advance and prepare appropriately,” she advised.

Meanwhile, latest update shows that the country, has, in the last 24 hours, registered three new COVID-19 cases, 18 new recoveries, and no new deaths.

Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 5,611 cases including 175 deaths and of these cases, 1,130 are imported infections and 4,481 are locally transmitted, with 3,551 and 1,885 recoveries and active cases, respectively.

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