Saudi Arabia resumes international flights, keeps some coronavirus restrictions

Gulf Today Report

Saudi Arabia said that entry to the kingdom by sea land and air will be resumed starting on Sunday after a ban that lasted two weeks amid fears of a new coronavirus variant, the state news agency reported.

A Ministry of Interior official said that there were some restrictions, including asking people coming from countries where the new variant spread, such as the UK, South Africa and others, to stay at least 14 days out of these countries before entering the Kingdom.

For non-citizens coming from the UK and South Africa wishing to enter the Kingdom, and from any other country being specified by the Ministry of Health, in which the mutated coronavirus is spread, these passengers shall be allowed provided they spend a period of no less than 14 days outside the country.

These passengers must also undergo a PCR test after the expiration of this period, to prove that they do not have COVID-19.

Citizens, who enter the Kingdom for humanitarian and urgent cases coming from countries where the mutated coronavirus is spread, shall be quarantined in their homes under observance for a period of 14 days. Two PCR examinations shall be carried out after arrival within no more than 48 hours and the second before ending the quarantine on the 13th day.

As for the countries in which cases of the strain were registered, passengers shall be quarantined in their homes under observance for a period of 7 days, with PCR examination, before the end of the quarantine period on the 6th day.