No Evidence of Variant B.1.1.529 of COVID-19 in Seychelles, New Travel Measures Announced

Visitors from South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe are not permitted entry into Seychelles effective today Saturday, November 27, 2021, until further notice, the Seychelles Ministry of Health has announced. No cases of variant B.1.1.529 have been detected in Seychelles, the local authorities confirm.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that it is applying new travel measures for visitors, Seychellois nationals and residents travelling from the Southern African region due to a new COVID-19 variant circulating in South Africa and its surrounding countries.

In response, the national airline, Air Seychelles, has cancelled all flights from Johannesburg to Seychelles with the exception of those of December 1, December 17, and December 19. Passengers already in Seychelles who are booked to travel to Johannesburg should contact their airline concerning their departure flights.

The new measures require all persons already in Seychelles who have been to these countries in the last two weeks to go for a PCR test if they have been in Seychelles from five (5) up to fourteen (14) days after arrival. Those who have been in Seychelles for less than five (5) days should wait for Day 5 to go for the PCR test.

All Seychellois and residents returning to Seychelles who have been to any of these countries in the last two weeks are required to self-quarantine and take a compulsory PCR test on Day 5 after arrival.

Travel to South Africa and the other named countries is strongly discouraged.

Whilst there is no evidence that variant B.1.1.529, named Omicron by the World Health Organization, has been detected in Seychelles, local authorities have advised that all public health and social measures in place must be strictly respected.

To note that Seychelles welcomes all visitors irrespective of their vaccination status on the condition that they have a COVID-19 negative PCR test certificate that must be taken within 72 hours prior to travel, except for visitors coming from countries on the restricted list as follows: South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

No quarantine is required for visitors entering Seychelles. However, they are being strongly encouraged to be fully immunized before travel. They are allowed free movement throughout their entire holiday but they must adhere to all public health measures. They also are free to stay at any health-certified tourism accommodation establishment on the condition that they follow all health protocols that are in place at these establishments.

The latest entry requirements and health procedures as well as all updated lists of licensed tourism operators and accommodation establishments certified as COVID-safe are available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism’s website and Seychelles.govtas.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tourism Seychelles, [email protected]