Free COVID-19 testing for SADC students scrapped
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has resolved to cease free COVID-19 testing for students in the SADC Region, as well as civil servants travelling within the SADC region, a government announcement stated last week.
This is against the background that travelling in the SADC region is possible when someone is fully vaccinated. PCR testing is no longer a prerequisite to travel for fully vaccinated individuals, the ministry’s Executive Director Ben Nangombe said.
“In line with the above, effective from 13 April 2022, students and civil servants who are scheduled for travel to countries in the SADC region and have not been vaccinated, are advised to approach any of the 21 SARS-CoV-2 authorized testing laboratories nationwide for testing at their own cost,” he added
Nangombe meanwhile said that all existing arrangements and requirements for free testing for students remain unchanged except for the referred group of students mentioned above.
