Tag: covid situation

  • Pak includes more countries in restriction list, announces strict travel policies

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) added nine more countries especially from Europe after a reviewal of the covid situation around the globe on Monday.

    According to the notification issued by NCOC on their website, they revised the list of countries due to the worsening Covid situation.

    The nine countries which are banned by the NCOC are Croatia, Hungary, Netherlands, Ukraine, Ireland, Slovenia, Vietnam, Poland, and Zimbabwe.

    In case of emergency travel from recently banned countries, a strict protocol has to be observed by passengers, including foreigners. Passengers above the age of six years will require full vaccination and must possess a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test report which must be issued 48 hours prior to boarding a plane. On arrival to Pakistan, rapid antigen testing (RAT) will be conducted. Passengers will be allowed to enter Pakistan who test negative.

    Meanwhile, passengers will face compulsory quarantine of three days after a PCR test from South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

    Passengers will have to be quarantined for an extra 10 days if they get a positive PCR result on arrival or could be transferred to a hospital depending on the advice from health workers as stated by NCOC.

    However to facilitate the stranded Pakistani nationals from countries who are not able to get double dose vaccination because of some reasons including expiry visa, illegal immigration, medical conditions, pending court cases, pregnancy or partially vaccinated from Pakistan are exempted from the requirement of full vaccination.

  • UK criticised for removing India from Red List despite worse Covid-19 situation than Pakistan

    UK criticised for removing India from Red List despite worse Covid-19 situation than Pakistan

    The United Kingdom (UK) has recently announced that it is removing India from the Red List and moving it to the to Amber List from August 8 while Pakistan is still on the Red List.

    Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps took to Twitter to announce the news.

    The website of the UK’s government states the rules if you are travelling from a country that lies in the Red List.

    “What you must do if you have been in a country or territory on the Red List in the 10 days before you arrive in England,” states the website.

    “If you have been in a country or territory on the Red List in the last 10 days you will only be allowed to enter the UK if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK,” it added.

    Travellers who are fully vaccinated will have to follow these rules:

    Before you travel to England you must:

    Take a Covid-19 test – children aged 10 and under do not need to take this test

    Book a quarantine hotel package, including 2 Covid-19 tests

    Complete a passenger locator form

    On arrival in England you must:

    Quarantine in a managed hotel, including 2 Covid-19 tests

    Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari criticised the move and tweeted: “I had stated in April this year that UK was playing politics on Covid restrictions when they put Pak on Red List 2 weeks before India despite the Covid management disaster in India as opp to Pak’s good management raised internationally. NOW UK again playing politics targeting Pak.”

    Social media users are not happy with the decision as Pakistan’s Covid-19 situation is not as bad as India.