In new measures announced last Friday by the Controller of Papua New Guinea’s COVID-19 National Pandemic Response, fully vaccinated international arrivals from ‘low to medium risk’ countries will be able to quarantine for just seven days when entering the country and will be eligible for home quarantine.

Quarantine rules for vaccinated international travellers from low to medium risk countries have been relaxed. Credit: Unsplash

Previously, all international arrivals were required to have mandatory 14-day quarantine.

‘Low to medium risk’ countries under the new measures are Australia, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu.

Unvaccinated arrivals from these countries, and arrivals from all other countries, will still be required to quarantine for 14 days.

The measure marks a further loosening of travel requirements, following the recent removal of the need for domestic travellers to have a negative COVID-19 test prior to travel. However, individual provinces may still insist on a COVID-19 test on arrival.

Essential business travel remains one of the ‘valid reasons to travel’ for domestic flights.

Nambawan Super is one of a number of PNG employers encouraging their teams to get vaccinated. Credit: Nambawan Super

In other new measures, private health facilities, including those operated by PNG’s extractive sector, will be eligible to administer COVID-19 vaccines provided they meet certain conditions and reporting requirements.

For outbound passengers leaving PNG, Air Niugini is partnering with International SOS to offer PCR COVID-19 testing prior to check-in at Port Moresby’s Jacksons International Airport.

‘For PNG to come out of the pandemic, the public’s cooperation is very important in observing the requirements within all the measures and especially the requirements in business and social, mandatory mask wearing and the requirements for public transportation,’ said Controller David Manning.