Sri Lanka on Tuesday reopened its worldwide airport right here for passengers amid the continued COVID-19 lockdown with the primary flight with 53 passengers disembarking from Qatar.
However, folks with journey data from India and Vietnam within the final 14 days is not going to be allowed to land at Colombo Airport, stated PA Jayakanth, a senior civil aviation officer.
The inner journey restrictions, which permit solely important companies, have been in impact since mid-May and are because of be lifted on June 7.
Jayakant stated the airport was reopened at midnight for flights restricted to 75 passengers.
The first flight, a Qatar Airways plane with 53 passengers, landed at Katunayake International Airport from Doha at 2 am (native time), every day Mirror The newspaper quoted an airport official as saying.
The airport will stay closed for Indian and Vietnamese passengers, the official stated.
The ban additionally applies to Sri Lankans and different vacationers who’ve been staying in India and Vietnam for the previous 14 days or who’ve used their airports for transit.
“We have returned to the situation before May 21 when the flight ban was announced,” Jayakanth stated.
Dhammika Wijesinghe, a prime tourism official, stated vacationers are welcomed with strict adherence to the COVID-19 well being pointers.
“They will have to undergo a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test 3 weeks before arrival and another test on arrival here. They will have to be in quarantine for 14 days before setting out to travel inland,” the official stated.
Major General GA Chandrasiri, chairman of Airport and Aviation Services, instructed Colombo Gazette that six flights have arrived in Sri Lanka for the reason that airport reopened at midnight.
He stated one flight got here from Qatar and the remaining flights have been operated by nationwide provider Sri Lankan Airlines.
A complete of 569 passengers arrived in six flights.
Those native and overseas vacationers have been mandated to endure a 14-day quarantine interval and two PCR checks.
Passengers recognized and located unfavourable will probably be allowed to socialize in Sri Lanka, whereas others will probably be despatched for additional medical therapy.
More than 80,000 new infections have been recorded since 15 April in Sri Lanka battling the third wave of an infection.
According to well being officers, the demise toll, which stood at 678 as of April 30, rose to over 750, registering a soar of over 100 per cent by the tip of May.
The nation is at present following inter-provincial journey restrictions in an try to stem the brand new increase.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
