COVID variant Omicron: CAA notifies fresh travel ban

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Monday issued fresh travel advisory for Category-C countries after cases of new COVID variant Omicron emerged in several other countries, ARY News reported.

According to a notification, the CAA has enlisted 8 more countries in the Category ‘C’ countries. The Cat C countries include Croatia, Hungry, Netherlands, Ukraine, Ireland, Slovenia, Vietnam, Poland, South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

The passengers traveling from the category-c countries would require permission from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC). “They would have to compulsorily provide evidence of full Covid-19 vaccination,” the CAA notified.

A negative PCR test report, conducted 72 hours before travel, will be compulsory. Moreover, testing and quarantine rules will be applicable over the passengers on arrival to Pakistan, according to the travel advisory.

Read More: OMICRON VARIANT: NCOC BANS TRAVEL FROM CAT C COUNTRIES

The move came after the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday imposed a complete ban on inbound travel from Category C countries.

The country’s top platform overseeing Covid response reviewed the prevailing Covid situation across the globe and revised the policy for categorisation of air travel and the Cat C list.

The NCOC said there will be a complete ban on inbound travel from the Cat C countries and essential travel from these countries would warrant an exemption certificate from the government’s exemption committee with a set of health protocols.