Pre-flight Covid-19 test waived for domestic air travellers who have received three vaccine doses

By DMG 01 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
1 June 2022, Sittwe 

The Myanmar military regime’s Ministry of Health has waived the mandatory requirement for pre-flight Covid-19 screening test for those who have received three doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to an official from the Arakan State Public Health Department. 

Since February, the regime has required anyone — whether they have received the Covid-19 vaccine or not — to receive a rapid response test for coronavirus within 48 hours of their flight. 

Domestic air travellers who have received both doses plus the booster need not undergo Covid-19 testing, Assistant Director Dr. Soe Win Paing of the Arakan State Public Health Department told DMG. 

“Those who have received both doses, but haven’t yet got booster shots, still need to take a pre-flight Covid-19 test,” said the doctor. 

An employee from a plane ticket counter in Sittwe said domestic air travellers who have received booster doses 14 days prior to their planned flight need not undergo Covid-19 testing. 

“They don’t need to undergo a test if it is already 14 days after they have received the booster dose, but they have to show their Covid-19 vaccination certificates,” said the employee. 

Between 300 and 400 air travellers are tested for Covid-19 daily in Arakan State, but there have been no infections, according to the state public health department. 

Covid-19 regulations, however, remain in force at airports and border trade camps in Arakan State, said the department. 

Since February, new coronavirus infections have declined dramatically both in Arakan State and across Myanmar, according to the regime’s Ministry of Health. The ministry said just 10 new cases were reported nationwide on May 31, down from a peak of about 6,000 new infections reported daily at the height of the virus’s worst wave in July of last year.