Botswana’s testing capabilities for Covid-19 have been called into question.
The United States has banned its citizens from travelling to the southern African nation citing delays in the release of Covid-19 testing results.
The decision by the US comes hardly a month after the United Kingdom added Botswana to its travel ban list and informed its citizens to avoid travelling to Botswana due to the new mutant strain of the coronavirus.
Falling short of questioning Botswana’s testing capacity, the Department of State said: “The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 travel health notice for Botswana due to Covid-19. CDC compliant testing for Covid-19 is either not available or results are not always available within 3 calendar days of testing. Travelers should expect delays returning to the U.S.”
The ban is expected to have a negative impact on the country’s tourism sector which was expected to resume normal operations after the Botswana Government relaxed some international travel restrictions.
The US Department of State revealed that the Centres for Disease Control Prevention as of 1st February this year has issued a level 4 notice health notice for Botswana due to Covid-19.
A level-4 notice category means that US citizens should not travel to the country that has been added to such a list.
In Africa, the US singled out Botswana, Algeria and Somalia as countries that its citizens should not visit due to Covid-19 among others. Algeria was added to “Do not travel notice” due to Covid-19, and increased caution due to terrorism while Somalia was added due to Covid-19, terrorism, civil unrest, health issues, kidnapping and piracy.
The Department of State noted that Botswana has lifted stay at home orders and resumed some transportation options and business operations adding that masks are required in all public spaces.
Curiously, neighbouring South Africa – considered a high risk for travel – did not make it to the level-4 notice. South Africa has seen a significant spread of the new coronavirus variant.
Other countries in Africa which had announced the new variant such as, the Gambia and Kenya and Zambia were not added to the “do not travel notice.”
Instead, they were added to a list of “exercise increased caution or exercise increased caution” and “reconsider travel.”
