A new Covid-19 regulation has been put in place in Botswana with defaulters likely to face fine and prison terms.
The fine and prison terms are contained in a government gazette, under the Public Health Act (Prevention of Introduction or Spread of Covid-19).
“A person who refuses to be subjected to the provisions of Section 80 (1) (c) and (d) of the Act commits an offense and is liable to a fine not exceeding P5 000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year, or to both,” reads the gazette.
Section (c) and (d) of the Act state that a person entering the country “shall present proof that he or she is fully vaccinated”. If they haven’t vaccinated, then they should produce a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test, valid for 72 hours, at the port of entry into the country.
This means that travelers to Botswana need to produce proof of being fully vaccinated to gain entry to the country.
Citizens and foreign visitors will need to prove they received a full regimen of COVID-19 vaccines in order to be granted access at any port of entry into Botswana. Unvaccinated people remain barred from visiting Botswana.
Botswana’s government says fully vaccinated persons will no longer need to have a negative PCR test in order to enter. Those who are due for booster shots must get them in order to be considered as fully vaccinated person.
Those who haven’t will be required to provide a negative PCR test.
Travellers who test positive will need to quarantine at their own costs.
Unvaccinated persons must be willing to be vaccinated at the port of entry they’ve at or face deportation. Returning citizens who are unwilling to get the jab face a fine of R6 500, imprisonment for a year or both.
