Uganda
Civil Aviation Authority has issued strict guidelines at Entebbe International
Airport in order to help slow the wide spread of Corona virus. In the recent
communication, departing passengers will be expected to arrive at Entebbe Airport
about 4 hours prior boarding. This is to ensure travelers go through the mandatory
health port screening process.
Passengers
must avail their valid health certificate issued by the Ministry of Health or
undergo a rapid test at the airport prior departure. The arriving and departing
passengers on the other hand are expected to put on their face masks and always
keep social distancing upon resumption of flights.
According
to Engineer Ayub Sooma, the Director Airports and Aviation Security, the new
measures have been designed in accordance to the new guidelines from
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), World Health Organization
(WHO), Airports Council International now that most countries are on plan to
start re-opening airports some of which have been closed to passenger traffic
for over 2 months.
He
was quoted saying that the authority is working with officials from the
Ministry of Health, Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs to ensure the set
measures are observed by passengers at Entebbe International Airport.
He
added that some measures at the airport facilities will include offering more
room for boarding lounges, e-boarding pass readers, installation of automatic
sensor non touchable doors and non-touchable taps, automated document readers
to restrict excessive scanning of passport. The authority has so far erected 3
big marguess for passengers to keep social distancing.
In
the statement issued by the authority’s medical specialists, the health and
immigration officers will be in position to serve about 100 passengers in the 2
tents for temperature screening and processing of documents while samples will
be collected from a maximum of 10 passengers at the same time.
However,
there is need to improve on the aeration inside the tents to avoid infection
says Dr. Benson Tumwesigye. He further added that the airport can only resume
passenger flights when the Ministry of Health contented that the guidelines are
well-observed.
Passenger
flights at Entebbe International Airport were temporarily suspended by H.E. President
Museveni to limit wide spread of corona virus. Unlike the passenger flights,
cargo and emergency flights still continued operating up-to-date. Prior the
outbreak of corona virus and lock down, over 90 to 120 flights were handled
every day.
