THE Zanzibar Government has updated its travel advisory to include, among other measures, all travellers entering the country to be fully vaccinated as per the approved schedule of primary vaccination rule against the Covid-19 in their respective countries.
This includes returning residents or those on transit via Zanzibar through the sea port or airports.
"The only accepted vaccines are those approved by the WHO and recognised locally, according to a statement issued by the Zanzibar Ministry of Health.
In view of the current trend of Covid-19 around the globe that has led to a number of deaths and disturbances, the government has decided to update travel advisory no. 14 of November 2022 to version 15 of February 1 of 2023 which is reducing the burden to the travellers.
"All travellers entering including returning residents or on transit through the ports or airports are advised to be fully vaccinated in their respective countries," the statement said.
The statement further stated that all travellers entering Zanzibar through ports, are not required to present Covid-19 vaccination certificates or real-time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) or performing the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) unless stated otherwise.
Adding, however, for surveillance purpose, Port Health Officers may perform the RAT free of charge for randomly selected travellers upon arrival.
The statement added that travellers' temperatures are to be assessed through a walking thermoscan upon arriving and if a traveller is found symptomatic, will be immediately isolated and handled in accordance to the local health guidelines to travellers.
Speaking to the 'Daily News', Mr Nassor Mazrui, Zanzibar Minister for Health, said, "We are making sure that visitors get quality services at entry points, this is good thing for the tourism sector."
He said the eighth-phase government is serious in developing the sector.
Minister Mazrui asked the travellers from Zanzibar to make sure they seek information from the travel agents regarding the Covid-19 requirements of their destination country.
