Covid-19: Bahrain updates testing rules for incoming travellers

Bahrain has introduced additional measures for incoming travellers, starting Monday, February 22.

According to the National Medical Taskforce for Combating Covid-19, all travellers coming into the kingdom will be subject to a PCR test on the fifth day of arrival, in addition to mandatory PCR screening upon arrival, the kingdom’s health ministry has tweeted. Meanwhile, the cost of the Covid-19 PCR test is to be reduced to BHD36.

Incoming passengers must download the ‘BeAware Bahrain’ app and self-isolate until the result of the on-arrival testing is issued.

Those who intend to spend more than 10 days in the kingdom are obliged to take a third mandatory PCR test on their 10th day of stay as well.

Travellers who test positive will be contacted by the kingdom’s health ministry.

Additional measures for travellers arriving into the Kingdom of Bahrain, effective from Monday, 22 February 2021#Commit4Bahrain#TeamBahrain pic.twitter.com/jk2QRSQLpa

— وزارة الصحة | مملكة البحرين ?? (@MOH_Bahrain) February 17, 2021

Last week, Bahrain suspended all prayers and religious events at mosques for two weeks, effective February 11 onwards, a directive which is subject to periodic review, based on current developments.

Read: Covid-19: Bahrain suspends prayers at mosques for two weeks

In the last week of January, the kingdom’s health ministry also confirmed that all public and private schools, universities, and kindergartens licensed by the Ministry of Education, will be shifted to remote learning for three weeks to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Read more: Covid-19: Bahrain shuts all schools, closes dine-in services at restaurants

Bahrain also approved the emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India under the name Covishield.

Read: Bahrain approves emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine