2022 – No more COVID-19 testing requirements for travellers to Madagascar
The Council has approved the initiative to remove COVID-19 testing requirements (PCR test on departure and TDR test on arrival) for travellers wishing to come to Madagascar.
It should be noted that these new provisions are effective from Thursday 11 August 2022.
There are many reasons for this turnaround: from the decrease in the number of covid cases to an attempt to revive the tourism sector.
The reported figures speak for themselves:
|
Time period |
Number of new covid cases |
|
09-15 July 2022 |
189 |
|
16-22 July 2022 |
127 |
|
23-29 July 2022 |
75 |
|
30 july-05 August 2022 |
66 |
|
06-09 August 2022 |
11 |
Source: official website of the government of Madagascar (presidence.gov.mg) – 10 August 2022
And, for several months, entrepreneurs operating in the tourism sector have been calling for the lifting of COVID-19 testing requirements for travels to Madagascar as they discourage tourists from coming, and thus prevent the revival of tourism.
Indeed, it is nothing new that since the outbreak of the pandemic, the tourism sector has been in apparent decline, while thousands of people made their living from tourism, not to mention how it used to be a source of revenue for the Malagasy state.
Another reason for this decision was that, unlike the first waves of covid, the new case or "variant" does not result in a "severe case" according to studies conducted and observation made by the Ministry of Public Health.
Nevertheless, the government calls for vigilance and encourages the population to protect themselves by getting vaccinated. Vaccines remain free of charge and left to personal choice.
Sources
- Official Website of the Presidence of Madagascar, Updates on the last Council of Ministers in Madagascar
- US Embassy in Madagascar, US Embassy Covid-19 Information
- News Website , End of TDR tests for all flights arriving in Madagascar