Mandatory Covid testing for inbound passengers scrapped

ISLAMABAD, February 23: Pakistan has announced that passengers flying into the country would no longer be required to take a previously mandatory Covid-19 negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
“With effect from 24 Feb 22, requirement of negative PCR report for passengers traveling to Pakistan has been abolished (for fully vaccinated travelers),” the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which oversees the country’s pandemic response, said in a statement, adding that non-vaccinated individuals over 12 years would require a pre-boarding negative PCR.
“Passenger below 12 year of age are exempted from mandatory vaccination,” the NCOC statement read. “Passenger between 12-18 years of the age are allowed to travel without mandatory vaccination till 31st March 2022.”
The number of infections has been on the decline in the country for the past few weeks, with 1,232 new cases detected in the last 24 hours, and 43 deaths. The national positivity rate has also dropped to less than three percent. After an Omicron-fuelled fifth wave of the coronavirus gained momentum in country early this year, last month Pakistan made PCR testing mandatory for all passengers above 6 years of age. -DNA