World News | COVID-19: UAE Suspends Entry of Passengers from Indonesia, Afghanistan from Sunday

Abu Dhabi [UAE], July 11 (ANI): United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday announced the suspension of entry for travellers and transit passengers from Indonesia and Afghanistan on national and foreign flights with effect from July 11.

The announcement was made by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) in the UAE, reported Khaleej Times.

The suspension will include the suspension of the entry of travellers who were in these countries 14 days before coming to the UAE.

Transit and cargo flights to and from these countries will continue, as usual, the GCAA said in a statement.

However, the authorities said a few categories are exempted from the travel restriction. The excluded category should present a negative COVID-19 test obtained within 48 hours of departure, mandatory ten-day quarantine, and a PCR test at the airport as well as another test on the fourth and eighth days of entering the country, reported Khaleej Times.

According to the decision, the period of the required PCR test is reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours, provided that the tests are issued by accredited laboratories and carrying the QR Code.

People who are exempted from the decision include UAE nationals and their first-degree relatives; Diplomatic missions between the UAE and the two countries; Official delegations; Businessmen after getting prior approvals- and golden and silver residency permit holders; Holders of essential jobs according to the classification of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA); and Staffs of UAE embassies in the two countries and crews of foreign freight and transit planes.

Earlier, Dubai-based carrier Emirates has suspended passenger flights from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka until July 15, following the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government's directives to curb the spread of coronavirus. (ANI)

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