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- People living within a 60km radius of Namibia can enter the country without presenting negative Covid-19 PCR results.
- Botswana has set up Covid-19 vaccination booths for locals and foreigners at ports of entry.
- Only fully vaccinated travellers, who also have PCR test results valid for 48 hours, are allowed into Zimbabwe.
The governments of Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia this week announced new Covid-19 regulations for travellers as they opened up their land borders.
The requirements vary slightly from country to country.
News24 gives you an explainer on what is expected of people travelling to or living in these countries as expatriates.
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Namibia
During the 40th Covid-19 briefing in Windhoek, the minister of health and social services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, said Namibians who were fully vaccinated, foreign diplomats, permanent residence permit holders and their children as well as truck drivers in transit were exempted from providing a negative Covid-19 test result at ports of entry.
All that they need is a vaccination card.
Also, people living within a 60km radius of Namibia's borders have the privilege of entering the country without presenting negative Covid-19 PCR results. They just have to produce a police declaration confirming their place of residence.
Zimbabwe
The country has opened all its borders but only to fully vaccinated people with certificates of proof from their home countries. But still, with vaccination certificates, they should have PCR tests that are valid for 48 hours from the time of their departure for Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe shares Beitbridge, the busiest land border in the southern African region with South Africa.
Francois Diedrechsen - the chief executive officer of Zimborders, a South African firm tasked with upgrading the border - told News24 the opening would affect other routes in the north-south corridor.
He said:
Botswana
The country introduced a R6 500 fine, a year's jail term, or both for Botswana nationals who refuse to be vaccinated upon return into the country from other countries.
However, it is unlikely to have such inbound nationals coming from countries such as Zimbabwe and Namibia because they won't allow foreigners who come in without being fully vaccinated. As such, those returning from Europe, Asia, and America are likely to come face to face with the possibility of a fine or jail term if they refuse to be vaccinated at ports of entry.
The country has introduced vaccination booths at border ports and airports. For foreign nationals, like in Zimbabwe and Namibia, Botswana now requires travellers to provide proof of full vaccination.
Full proof in Botswana terms includes the booster jab. If one is not fully vaccinated, they will have to provide a PCR test valid for 72 hours and be willing to be vaccinated at the border post before entry.
If the test returns positive, one will have to be quarantined at own cost in the district from which they entered the country.
- The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
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