Stranded foreigners need CoVid departure tests [1]
Wednesday, September 9, 2020 - 18:52. Updated on Thursday, September 10, 2020 - 09:16.
Tonga is looking at providing CoViD-19 tests for outgoing passengers at a fee says the Ministry of Health, but until a regulation is amended, foreigners who are stuck in Tonga will not be able have departure tests.
A group of Chinese people in Tonga are among those eager to return home, but can't due to China's travel requirement for a pre-departure CoViD-19 test.
Felicia Huang told Matangi Tonga they want to return home via New Zealand but in order to do so, they need to meet the travel requirements that people should be CoViD-19 tested before they travel to China.
“As foreigners, we could only transfer the flight in New Zealand and we are not allowed to enter the border of New Zealand, so we can't do the CoViD-19 test there."
She said that is why they need to do the CoViD-19 test in Tonga.
“That's our only hope. We don't mind paying for doing a CoViD-19 test, we need a chance to go back home.”
Aware of need
Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola told Matangi Tonga today that they are aware of the the need for providing CoViD-19 tests for outgoing passengers and Tonga is looking at establishing a fee for the service.
He said their stocks of testing kits had increased and they may be in a better position to provide the service.
A paper will be submitted to Cabinet this week for approval to enable Ministry of Health and Attorney General's Office to amend the Health Services and Fees Regulation, to include a fee for CoViD-19 testing, he said.
"Once these legal requirements are in order, then we can offer the service for the public. So we are looking at probably the next two weeks, if everything works out according to plan, we may be able to offer this service. At the same time, priority will always be given to testing repatriated passengers returning to Tonga."
However, the CoViD-19 testing of outgoing passengers would also depend on satisfactory stock of CoViD-19 test reagents within the country.
There are many countries that require people to test for CoViD-19 before they travel.