Namibia: New revised tourist-related Covid-19 regulations! [update]

update (23 October 2020): Namibia's Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has released a press release titled "Changes in the Approval of Travelers and Quarantine Request for Travelers". 

Namibia's President Dr. Hage G. Geingob has announced a number of changes to the status quo of the tourist-related COVID-19 regulations in the country during a public briefing on the national COVID-19 response measures on 21 October 2020. The new regulations will come into force from tomorrow (22 October 2020) until midnight on 30 November 2020. The new measures will apply for all 14 regions of Namibia.

• All travellers (including tourists, business travellers and all Namibians and Permit Holders) who arrive in Namibia with a negative PCR test result, that is not older than 72 hours, will be permitted to proceed to their final destinations in the country. The regquirement for the mandatory five day retest has been withdrawn.
• All travellers who arrive in Namibia with a negative PCR test result that is older than 72 hours but not older than 7 days, will be permitted to enter the country. However, they will be required to undergo seven-days supervised quarantine at home or tourism facility. In the event that these environments do not fulfill qurantine requirements, the travellers will be placed under mandatory Government quarantine facilities at own cost.
• Non-Namibians, who do not present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, will not be granted entry into Namibia.
• Returning Namibian citizens or Permit Holders may enter Namibia with or without a COVID-19 PCR test result. In the event such persons present a positive test result or no result at all, they will be subjected to mandatory quarantine and testing or isolation, after arrival. This provision shall also apply to aircraft and marine vessel crew members; humanitarian aid workers, essential service providers, as well as operators and drivers of cross-border transport vehicles who arrive in the country without the requisite test.
• Restrictions on passenger numbers in publc transport, private vehicles and group tour operators are herewith lifted. This means, vehicle occupancy can revert to the respective carrying capacities of a particular vehicle. However, drivers, passengers and operators are required to continue taking the necessary precautions.
• In line with the "Saving lives, economies and livelihood" campaign of the African Union (AU), Namibia will continue to harmonize the re-opening of borders and resumption of full economic and social activities. To this end, Namibia will gradually re-open borders on reciprocal basis and resume social activities including contact sports activities; face-to-face instruction for tertiary institutions and schools where social distancing is feasible.
• The limitation to the number of persons permitted at public gatherings shall be increased to a maximum of 200 persons until 30 November 2020.
• The protocols for COVID-19 burials will be conducted as per previous regulations.