The Director General of Health Services has issued a new set of quarantine measures for travellers arriving in the country from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It states that Sri Lankan Citizens, including Sri Lankan Seafarers arriving by air or Dual Citizens (if using the Sri Lankan passport to arrive), do not need to get the prior approval from the Foreign Ministry and Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka to arrive in Sri Lanka.
They can request a quarantine hotel or government quarantine center after arriving in Sri Lanka, the statement said.
Meanwhile all travellers arriving in Sri Lanka should mandatorily carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test report in English language done within 72 hours prior to embarkation.
Travellers who have received the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccine are required to carry the original vaccination certificate / card or a verifiable evidence of vaccination.
If the recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccination are completed and departs from abroad two weeks after completion of vaccination, they will be considered as “Fully Vaccinated”.
No further quarantine is necessary for fully vaccinated travellers if the On Arrival (Day One) PCR test report is negative, the DG of Health Services said.
But they have to conduct a PCR test on Day 7 after arriving in Sri Lanka from a Ministry of Health approved laboratory.
“As there are positive cases reported among fully vaccinated persons in Sri Lanka and in other countries, it is important to minimize Covid-19 or its variants entering into the country. Therefore, fully vaccinated travellers should not relax the preventive measures and should abide by the Covid-19 preventive measures imposed by the Sri Lankan government.”
Quarantine measures for travellers who have not received COVID-19 vaccination or have not completed the recommended doses of vaccination or have departed from abroad within less than two weeks of completion of recommended doses of vaccination have to mandatorily quarantine until completion of 14 days after arrival in Sri Lanka, if the On Arrival (Day One) PCR report is negative.
The Health Ministry says that due to the current COVID-19 situation in Sri Lanka and globally, the following quarantine measured are imposed for travellers arriving in Sri Lanka:
