UGANDA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY ISSUES COVID-19 PASSENGER MEASURES

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.