Controller releases new measures for international, domestic travellers

The National National

ALL international and domestic travellers must now undergo mandatory Coronavirus (Covid-19) quarantine, National Pandemic Response Controller David Manning announced yesterday.
For international travel, the new measure are as follows;

  • NEW quarantine periods – seven days quarantine for incoming persons who are fully vaccinated and 14 days quarantine for partially vaccinated persons. PNG citizens and permanent residents who are unvaccinated are to be quarantined for 21 days.
  • THE new quarantine periods do not apply to all persons currently in quarantine – unless provided an exception which will continue to apply;
  • APPROVALS to arrive in PNG are valid for 60 days instead of 90 days previously;
  • APPROVALS to enter PNG shall not be provided to persons travelling to PNG for the principal purpose of holidaying, vacationing or similar activity;
  • ALL persons travelling to PNG must have a valid Covid-19 test 72 hours prior to their original port of departure, instead of seven days, to Port Moresby;
  • All people arriving in PNG must be tested upon arrival and while in quarantine.
  • IF an individual refuses to be tested, they will be quarantined for an additional 14 days;
  • THERE is no restriction on which medical providers may conduct these tests, except that the medical providers and their staff must be properly licensed; and,
  • TRACKING of individuals for the purposes of quarantine is now only for home quarantine.

Manning, who is also police commissioner, said due to the increased threat of the Covid-19 Delta variant, all provinces were now classified as “medium risk”.
He said it was the responsibility of provincial health authorities to advise provincial administrators as to what their risk of Covid-19 was on a weekly basis.
“Western and Sandaun (West Sepik) have been classified as high-risk provinces. Restrictions will be based on whether a province is high or medium risk,” he said.
For high-risk provinces the following will apply:

  • GATHERINGS of only 20 people allowed;
  • ALL persons leaving a high-risk province must undertake a rapid antigen test prior to departure,
  • NIGHT clubs, pubs and similar venues must be closed; and,
  • NO sporting activities more than four persons are allowed.