A correction made by government concerning the age of children who require PCR testing to enter South Africa has brought clarity to the situation. But it has created a new outcry.
The corrected regulation states that children under the age of five are exempt from the need to show a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test certificate. But in South Africa, children must be 12 years in order to receive a vaccination.
Inbound and outbound industry members welcomed the news that PCR tests are no longer required for vaccinated inbound travellers, but are scratching their heads at the regulation that only children under the age of five, who are unvaccinated, are exempt from needing a PCR test.
Many say this will be another barrier for families with young children travelling to South Africa. The feelings of the inbound industry are clear – the comments on this article in Travel News’ sister publication, Tourism Update show this.
Likewise for South African families returning from an overseas trip, the same will apply – costly PCR tests for unvaccinated children who cannot even be vaccinated due to their young age.
‘Maggie’ commented on the story in Travel News: “Why for children under five years? Everywhere else in the world, the exception for testing is up to age seven for children. Why does SA always find something different to do?”
Owner of Classic Portfolios, Suzanne Bayly, commented: “It seems beyond crazy that in SA kids under 12 are not eligible for a vaccination, yet they only make the PCR exemption under the age of five years. There is no logic in this at all.”
