By Chinelo Obogo, Lagos
The British government has announced that following the 21 recent cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) linked to travel from Nigeria, from 4 am on Monday, December 6, the country will be added to the red list for international travel to England.
This information which was published on the UK government’s website, means that Nigeria will be joining several southern African countries which were put on the red list after the Omicron variant was first detected late last month. It means that only UK citizens and residents will be able to enter the country from Nigeria, and they will have to pay to stay in a quarantine hotel for 10 days.
Britain also said that from 4 am on December 6, a temporary travel ban will be introduced for non-UK and non-Irish citizens and residents who’ve been in Nigeria in the previous 10 days, meaning they will be refused entry into the UK.
UK’s health secretary, Sajid Javid, said tests must be taken a maximum of 48 hours before the departure time, to tackle the spread of the new Omicron variant and the rule applies to all travellers visiting the UK or returning from a holiday, regardless of vaccination status, and will come into force from 4 am on Tuesday 7 December. He said Nigeria is “second only to South Africa for cases linked to Omicron and that there are “27 cases already in England and that’s growing”.
“From 4 am on 6 December, Nigeria will be added to the red list for international travel to England. This follows 21 recent cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) linked to travel from Nigeria. From 4am on December 6, UK and Irish citizens and residents arriving from Nigeria must isolate in a government approved managed quarantine facility for 10 days, and receive two PCR tests, as the UK government takes further precautionary action against the Omicron variant.
“From 4 am on December 6, a temporary travel ban will be introduced for non-UK and non-Irish citizens and residents who’ve been in Nigeria in the previous 10 days, meaning they will be refused entry into the UK. This doesn’t apply to those staying airside and only transiting through,” the website stated.