Gov’t Suspends Negative PCR Test for Inbound and Outbound Fully Vaccinated Travellers

Government of Uganda has suspended negative PCR test requirements for incoming and out bound fully vaccinated travellers.

This was revealed by the Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, while addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Center on Wednesday.

Aceng said the PCR requirement for the negative PCR test done within 72 hours pre-boarding for all incoming travellers, is suspended with immediate effect for the fully vaccinated.

She noted that passengers will be required to show proof of full vaccination except for travellers aged five years and below.

Aceng said passengers with partial or no vaccination will still be required to present a negative test done within 72 hours of travel.

She noted that fully vaccinated outbound travellers will also not be mandated to present a negative PCR test unless it is required by the country of their destination.

The ministry of Health will carry out scheduled and random sampling for inbound travelers.

“To ensure appropriate Covid-19 surveillance among travellers, the Health ministry will be undertaking scheduled and random sampling of Covid-19 testing for inbound travelers,” she said.

The new measures come at a time the country is experiencing a massive drop in the numbers of infections and admissions at health facilities.

Currently, there are two severely ill Covid-19 patients on admission at Mulago National Referral Hospital and at St. Mary’s hospital Lacor.

According to Aceng, both patients are not vaccinated.

So far, the country has registered 164,118 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 3,596 deaths.

A total of 44,734,030 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been received in the country.

Todate, 15,268,403 people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine accounting for 71% of the target population of 22 million people while 10,250,742 people are fully vaccinated accounting for 48% of the target population.

A total of 59,542 people have also received booster doses.