This evening, it was announced that Argentina’s National Direction of Migration and the Ministry of Health would eliminate as from January 29 the PCR test to be performed within 72 hours prior to entering the Argentine territory for residents and nationals who present the complete vaccination schedule.
The Administrative Decision would be published in the next few days and would also contain modifications for visitors from neighboring countries. In addition, it incorporates -for those travelers with an incomplete scheme or non-resident foreigners from non-bordering countries- the possibility of performing an antigen test 48 hours before the beginning of the entry trip.
According to government sources, the Affidavit required by the DNM must continue to be completed 48 hours before the beginning of the trip. «The high transmissibility means that the current number of cases exceeds the highest number of cases reached since the beginning of the pandemic, with no correlation to date with hospitalizations in Intensive Care Units or deaths» states the text of the Administrative Decision, to which Aviacionline had access.
Foreigners from non-bordering countries, for the time being, will not see changes in the entry requirements, beyond the new option of RT/PCR with a maximum of 72 hours prior or Antigen with a maximum of 48 hours prior. The mandatory prior test and medical coverage that expressly includes the eventual COVID-19 treatment is maintained.
The measure is aligned with those being taken by countries such as the United Kingdom, which after evaluating the null effectiveness of the entry controls to mitigate the contagion and circulation of the virus in its Omicron variant, current prevalent strain with greater contagiousness decided to eliminate all restrictions. In fact, it is observed that in the norm the epidemiological criterion most frequently cited is precisely that of said country.
«In view of the above and that the vaccination strategy continues to be key to the control of severe disease, and taking into account both the world and national situation in relation to the circulation of the Omicron variant and its incubation period, and considering the risk that new variants may emerge, it is proposed to continue with the vaccination requirements for entry into the country, to include the antigen test – FORTY EIGHT (48) hours prior – as an authorized test for entry into the country for those persons who have it indicated, to homologate the national regulations to residents of neighboring countries and to eliminate the requirement of requesting an antigen test for all Argentines with a complete vaccination schedule. » states the document.
This is a developing story.
