COVID-19: Saudi Arabia lifts ban, resumes flight operation

(Karachi) Saudi Arabia has resumed international flight operation after lifting ban on land and air traffic, local media reported on Sunday.

As per details, the Kingdom had suspended international flights and closed overland and seaports from December 20 after the spread of new variant of coronavirus.

As part of the SOPs issued by Saudi government, any foreign passenger, who wished to enter Saudi Arabia from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and any other country determined by the Ministry of Health (in which the new mutated type of COVID-19 has spread) must spend at least 14 days outside the country impacted with the mutated virus before entering the Kingdom.

The passengers will have to go a PCR test after the expiration of this period to prove they do not carry coronavirus.

Passengers from the nations which have recorded cases of the new strain will be quarantined in their homes under observation for 7 days, and undergo a PCR test, before the end of the quarantine period, on the sixth day of arrival.

Whereas, precautions will remain in place with regard to other countries, including home quarantine for seven days, or the home quarantine for three days, and a PCR test.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended all international passenger flights, amid a second wave of coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) suspended all international flights in response to a new strain of the coronavirus. As a result of the flight suspension, the Umrah of international pilgrims was also suspended temporarily.