COLOMBO – Sri Lankans and Sri Lankan dual citizenship holders who have completed COVID-19 inoculation can get home quarantined if their on-arrival PCR tests are negative and if they have a place to go under mandatory quarantine, the health ministry said in a statement on Sunday (6).

Issuing revised guidelines on quarantine measures for arrivals, it said although Sri Lankans are allowed to home quarantine, they must stay at a quarantined hotel/ quarantine centre or a safe and secure certified Level One hotel, until they receive an on arrival negative PCR.

However, it said that notwithstanding the vaccination status, those who transited through or have a history of travelling to India, Vietnam, South African and South American countries will not be permitted to enter the island or go into home quarantine.

Other requirements to enter the country include:

Either a negative PCR test report done 90 hours prior to embarkation, or a negative rapid antigen test done within 48 hours prior to boarding and a negative PCR report conducted 96 hours prior to arrival. The statement also notes that airlines may request a PCR result 72 hours prior to embarkation.

It also specifies travellers must produce an original vaccination certificate or a card, and a translated copy of either in English to the airport health officer upon arrival and to the officer in charge of the quarantine hotel /quarantine centre or hotel doctor at a Level One hotel.

According to the guidelines, only the officer in charge of the quarantine hotel /centre or the doctor at a Level One hotel can discharge fully vaccinated Sri Lankans or dual citizens with negative on arrival (day one) COVID-19 PCR reports after verifying the status of vaccination (through documents).  However, the officer in charge is required to issue a discharge document and email the details to the Epidemiology Unit (chepid@sltnet.lk and samithag@hotmail.com) of the Ministry of Health.

Home quarantining travellers are required to immediately inform the area Medical Officer of Health (MOH), with their quarantine period starting from the date they arrive in Sri Lanka and continuing till the 14-day period is completed. The statement adds that on completion of the 14-day quarantine, travellers must undergo another PCR test.

Children below the age of two are not subject to a PCR test but children from two to twelve must take a PCR test on arrival and on the completion of a 14-day quarantine, it states, elaborating that children below the age of two will be discharged with the accompanying parents if their test results are cleared.

However, if the on arrival (day one) PCR testing of an accompanying traveller of the child is confirmed as positive, a child below two years will also be subjected to PCR test subsequently.

These tests must be conducted at a MOH approved laboratory, and the reports must be submitted to area MOH, the ministry said.

-economynext.com/ENCL