The Diplomat
The Government renewed this week the exceptional measures to curb the spread and spread of the B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant of COVID-19 approved last November 30.
The only novelty of this decision of the Council of Ministers has been the extension of the number of countries for which flights with Spain are limited, from seven (South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe) to nine after the inclusion of Malawi and Zambia.
The measure will come into force at 00:00 tomorrow, December 16, and will remain in force until 24:00 on December 29, 2021 (in both cases, according to peninsular time). “This period may be extended if necessary depending on the evolution of the situation and the pandemic and the decisions that may be taken in a coordinated manner in the European Union,” the Government reported.
From these nine countries, flights to Spain can only be made by Spanish or Andorran citizens, as well as residents of both countries or passengers in international transit to a non-Schengen country with a stopover of less than 24 hours without leaving the transit zone of the Spanish airport.
Exempt from this limitation are flights of State aircraft, search and rescue services, flights with stopover in Spanish territory for non-commercial purposes and with destination in another country, exclusive cargo flights, positional and humanitarian, medical or emergency flights. This restriction shall also not apply to the aeronautical personnel necessary to carry out air transport activities.
