Portugal is once again allowing flights to and from Mozambique, but requires the fulfillment of prophylactic isolation of passengers coming from some southern African countries, according to an order by the Diário da República.
In an interministerial order published on Friday and signed by the Portuguese ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health and Internal Administration, Portugal authorises essential travel to and from Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
On the other hand, it requires that passengers on these flights, as well as passengers who, regardless of origin, present a passport with a record of departure from those same countries, to comply, after entering mainland Portugal, with a period of prophylactic isolation of 14 days, at home or in a place indicated by the health authorities.
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However, according to the order, the prophylactic isolation of these passengers ceases for those who obtain a negative result in a nucleic acid amplification test ( NAAT,) or rapid antigen test ( RAT) performed on the third day [after arrival].
On the other hand, prophylactic isolation “is not applicable to passengers who remain in mainland Portugal for a maximum period of 48 hours”.
The order now published is also applicable, with the necessary adaptations, to citizens entering Portugal by sea or land.
The ruling came into effect at 00:00 on Saturday, changing the order that, in late November, suspended air traffic to Mozambique and other southern African countries as a result of the identification of the new variant of the covid-19 virus – Ómicron – and its classification as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), due to its incidence and transmissibility, forcing restrictive measures to be taken to prevent and prevent its spread.
