Travelers without PCR tests are being forced to leave Kazakhstan
Foreigners entering Kazakhstan without valid PCR certificates are being deported, Almaty.tv reports. In an effort to curb potential COVID-19 transmissions, airlines transporting such passengers encounter a fine of 4.5 million tenge.
Upon arrival, travelers face stringent sanitary screenings and educational measures, including mandatory mask use, hand sanitizing, temperature checks, and social distancing. However, the airport lacks facilities to quarantine passengers lacking PCR certificates. Only in extraordinary circumstances, such as acute infection symptoms, are individuals separated from others.
Natalia Sokolova, press secretary of Almaty International Airport, explained, "In case a passenger develops acute infectious disease symptoms during the flight, our airport features an isolation room. The passenger is promptly detached from the aircraft and waits there until medical aid arrives."
The question of PCR testing continues to hold significance. Relevant authorities urge testing prior to departure, while separate terms apply to domestic flights. Currently, there is a swab collection point within the airport terminal. To secure a COVID-19 test, passengers must complete a questionnaire and proceed to the lab, where their passport details are recorded. The quick and contactless procedure through glass takes mere seconds.
Test results are made available within the day via email, with prices ranging from 9 to 15 thousand tenge. Passengers arriving without PCR certificates undergo a 2-day isolation period.
A recent ruling by the interdepartmental commission, revealed by Chief State Sanitary Doctor Sadvakas Baigabulov, allows Kazakh citizens to enter without PCR certificates. However, South Korean airline Asiana Airlines has opted to require a negative COVID-19 test result for all passengers, regardless of nationality, effective on their next flight.
Allsevolod Kim, a representative of Asiana Airlines, stated, "Everyone, regardless of their nationality, must provide a certificate with a negative test result for entry. Consequently, we will require this certificate from the next flight."
According to a decree by Kazakhstan's Chief Sanitary Doctor, aircraft occupancy should not surpass 50%. Seats are arranged in a checkerboard pattern, adhering to all epidemiological norms, to minimize infection risks. Yet, with these measures still in place, there remains a high potential for contagion. As recommendations, getting a PCR test for COVID-19 before travel is advisable to ensure one is not a carrier.
Sources:[1] U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories[3] Visa information sites[4] News updates
Roman Noschenko, Yalkunzhan Ashimzhanov, Almaty TV.
- In addition to strict health and safety measures, airlines are also urged to ensure that passengers have undergone PCR testing for COVID-19 before their flight, as this practice is significant in lifestyle, science, and health-and-wellness, as well as travel.
- After the recent ruling by the interdepartmental commission, Kazakh citizens no longer require a PCR certificate for entering Kazakhstan, but South Korean airline Asiana Airlines has implemented a policy that requires all passengers, regardless of nationality, to provide a negative COVID-19 test result as a part of their travel requirements, demonstrating the global importance of science, health-and-wellness, and lifestyle considerations in preventing the spread of the virus.
