Italy on Friday lifted an entry ban on people who had visited any of eight southern African states including Namibia, which it imposed in November as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 began to spread.
“Health Minister Roberto Speranza has signed a new order lifting the special restrictive measures for South Africa and neighbouring countries,” a ministry spokesman said.
Italy banned entry for travellers from Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini on November 26.
This comes as the European Union member states last week also agreed to lift the air travel ban on southern African countries including Namibia, which will allow more travel to resume.
European nations had suspended most air travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe as scientists scrambled to assess the severity of the omicron variant. The bloc maintained the limits even after cases continued to surge around the world, despite an outcry from the region.
Namibians travelling to the United Kingdom , among other nationalities, will no longer be required to self-isolate or conduct a pre-departure COVID-19 test as a requirement for vaccinated travellers entering the UK according to measures announced.
