The Diplomat
The Official State Gazette (BOE) published yesterday the order establishing a mandatory quarantine for travelers on flights from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe, the countries most affected by the new variant of COVID-19. On the other hand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it will repatriate by commercial flights the 200 Spaniards who are in the area, especially in South Africa, and will charter a plane for those who are in Mozambique.
According to the order, passengers on flights from these seven countries en route to any airport located in Spain, with or without intermediate stopovers, must remain in quarantine for ten days following their arrival or during their entire stay in Spain if it is shorter than this period. This period may end earlier if on the seventh day the person undergoes a diagnostic test for active infection with a negative result. The Ministerial Order takes effect from 00:00 hours on November 29, 2021 for an initial period of fourteen calendar days, and may be extended if the circumstances that motivate it are maintained.
The measure is justified by the appearance of the new variant B.1.1.529 of SARS-CoV-2 in several countries in southern Africa and by the activation of the Integrated Policy Response to Crises (IPCR) of the Council of the European Union, which has concluded on the need for Member States to urgently impose an “emergency brake” and temporary restrictions on all travelers arriving in the European Union from these countries.
The measures contained in this emergency brake include the performance of diagnostic tests and the application of quarantine to all passengers arriving from these countries. Exempt from the provisions of this order are transit passengers who are residents or holders of long-stay visas from EU countries and associated states of the Schengen area. Also exempted are aeronautical personnel necessary to carry out air transport activities.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, announced last Friday and reiterated yesterday that the Council of Ministers will approve today an agreement to restrict flights from southern Africa affected by the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Albares announces repatriations
On the other hand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, assured yesterday -in declarations to TVE- that in the affected countries of Southern Africa there are “a little more than 200” Spaniards, “the bulk” of which, “about 150”, are in South Africa. These Spaniards, he assured, are going to be repatriated on commercial flights of the companies that are still operating from South Africa. Specifically, he said, these are two airlines that have not yet suspended their flights and two others that are going to resume them. “Commercial flights are still operating from other countries in the area as well,” he added.
Apart from that, he continued, Foreign Affairs has chartered a plane that it is going to send to Mozambique to repatriate Spaniards who are in this country, which has no flights to Europe. “We will do it throughout the week, Wednesday or Thursday, probably,” explained Albares, who assured that the Government will spare “neither time nor effort” to repatriate the Spaniards. “No Spaniard is going to be stranded,” he added. “Our Embassies and Consulates are working on it,” he concluded.
