Govt. issues new health guidelines to fully reopen borders for tourism

• No minimum stay, but mandatory PCR tests and insurance cover among new features

By Charumini de Silva

The Health Ministry has approved a comprehensive set of guidelines to resume international tourism in a COVID-19 safe environment from 23 January in order to formally reopen borders to welcome the first batch of international tourists and commercial flights post-COVID. The new guidelines were released on Wednesday by the Health Ministry, approved by the Ministry Secretary Asela Gunawardena. Health and tourism stakeholders have been working around the clock for weeks to put final touches to the guidelines, whilst rectifying all the shortcomings of the pilot project.

The key new features in the new guidelines include; no minimum stay, mandatory COVID-19 insurance cover for one-month worth at least Rs. 5 million and the certified hotels being allowed to host guests from multiple flights.

All PCR tests post-arrival should be arranged by the hotel with a private sector laboratory approved by Health Ministry, whilst the movement of the guest should be restricted to a minimum until on arrival PCR test result is negative. It will be mandatory to pay for two PCR tests if the visit is up to seven days or three PCR tests if the visit is over seven days as decided by the Medical Officer of Health (MOH). 

The designated Medical Officer to the hotel should regularly report via email to the Health Ministry, including Health Services Director General, Chief Epidemiologist, Disaster Preparedness and Response Division, COVID Task Force and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Director General with regard to the health status of hotel staff and guests, the Health Ministry stated. 

All PCR tests should be emailed by the private sector hospital to the Epidemiology Unit, COVID Task Force, Health Ministry Director General and to respective hotels. The hotel has to upload the PCR test report on the Tourism app, which is to be implemented soon, highlighting the positive test reports, and a copy of the report will be shared with the guest for his/her records, whilst the passport number will be considered as reference number to ensure traceability of reports and payments. Subject to negative PCR test results after 14 days stay in a certified level-1 hotel, the guest is permitted to interact with the community. A change of hotel within first 14 days is allowed only under certified level-1 hotels within a bio bubble. Arrangements are made to visit the permitted tourist sites daily with dedicated time slots for tourists to travel in a bio bubble, the Health Ministry stated.

All persons accompanying tourists including drivers, assistants, guides, translators should be in full PPE. If not, they should undergo 14 days quarantine under supervision of the local health authority, including PCR testing. The time slots allocated for tourists should be published in the Sri Lanka Tourism website to avoid the risk of mixing with locals, while domestic flights will be permitted under strict adherence to health protocols and use of public transport even after 14 days is discouraged, stated the Health Ministry. 

The Health Ministry has categorically mentioned in the guidelines that a health declaration for each tourist is mandatory and only the hotels certified as ‘Safe and Secure’ are permitted to take bookings. In addition, COVID-19 insurance cover has been made mandatory in order to not burden the health system of the country. Tourists without an insurance policy must purchase a cover via the Tourism App or at the time of the hotel booking or ticket purchase.

Dual citizens or Sri Lankan spouses of foreign passport holders or any paid commercial flight passenger with foreign passport should follow the tourist route under the same guidelines.

However, these guidelines exclude business visas.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAASL) will inform all flights that bring in tourists on the health protocols, and arrangements for airline crew will be agreed in advance in line with the existing health guidelines, whilst SLTDA should ensure that the details of arrivals are informed to the Health Ministry and the local area MOH prior to the arrival of the respective flights.

A mandatory negative PCR test taken 96 hours before boarding, along with a health declaration form (HDF) is to be filled and submitted prior to boarding or on arrival by all passengers at the port of entry. Previously, this mandatory PCR test report was to be taken 72 hours before.

The occupancy of hotels has been limited to a maximum of 75% and the balance to be reserved for isolation purposes if necessity arises. Hotels must ensure effective access control measures are in place in and around the hotel, all PCR tests of a given traveller should be carried out by a single laboratory, second PCR test should be conducted within five to seven days after arrival and in the event of a longer stay, an additional PCR test should be conducted within 10 to 14 days post-arrival.

Pre-confirmed hotel booking is mandatory for the first 14 days in one or more certified level-1 hotels, while the reservation details should be shared with area MOH and SLTDA Director General when making a booking and prior to guest’s arrival. Use of common areas are permitted subject to adherence to health guidelines, including social distancing.

In case of an isolation requirement, it should be in the same hotel under strict supervision of the designated Medical Officer and area MOH until the patient is transferred to a designated intermediate care centre (ICC). SLDA should make arrangements to identify appropriate ICCs in consultation and approval of the Health ministry to accommodate asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, the Health Ministry stated. If isolation is not feasible with a large group positive for COVID-19, alternative designated isolation hotels have to be identified by the SLTDA Director General. Patients in their first 14 days of visit should be treated only in hospitals identified for such purposes by the SLTDA and approved by the Health ministry.

The Health Ministry states that SLTDA should make arrangements using appropriate methods to carry out continuous assessments and audits to ensure the safety and health standards of certified level-1 hotels maintain.

The Health Ministry has also categorically pointed out in the guidelines that hotels, travel agents and tour operators must share accommodation booking details, transportation details and site visit details with the area MOH and SLTDA Director General immediately on making booking and prior to any travel.

Travel agents and hotels must be responsible and adhere to guidelines of the Health Ministry and SLTDA, while transportation details should be informed to the area MOH, COVID Task Force and SLTDA Director General, once the arrangements are made. No mixing of groups during transportation is allowed, stated the Health Ministry.

Travel agents must provide adequate PPE masks and sanitiser to personnel accompanying tourists, quarantine facility for 14 days after the tour unless attending in full PPE, medical insurance, including COVID-19 insurance to be given to all personnel during the tour and subsequent 14 days. This was after the shortcomings seen in the pilot project when the Ukrainian tourists visited Yala and subsequently 28 safari drivers were sent for isolation. 

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) on Tuesday said a special awareness program for foreign missions and key stakeholders will be held on Monday, 11 January.