Emirates Airline says it will now conduct rapid COVID-19
tests for Nigerian travellers at the Lagos and Abuja airports before departure.
The test is not the same as the polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) test required to travel abroad.
In a travel protocol update, the airline
said effective February 1, the tests will be carried out at the airports four
hours before departure.
PCR and antigen tests are commonly used to test for the
presence of the coronavirus.
Antigen tests look for protein on the surface of the
coronavirus to ascertain its presence while PCR tests collect genetic material
called RNA that instructs the virus to make these proteins.
Passengers are required to pay N36,800 for the test at the
Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, and N25,800 at the Nnamdi
Azikwe International Airport on Abuja.
The tests will be conducted at the Mobi health booth in the
check-in areas of both airports.
“In addition to the COVID-19 PCR test certificate required
for transit through Dubai and final destination, passengers are required to
carry out a rapid COVID-19 antigen test within four hours of departure
effective February 1, 2021,” the update read.
“Facilities for antigen testing are available at the Lagos
and Abuja international airport departure levels.
“Please be advised that passengers are to arrive at the
airport to carry out the Rapid COVID-19 antigen tests first before check-in.
Results will be out within 15 to 20 minutes. Upon having a negative rapid test
result, passengers may proceed to the check-in counter.”
This development is coming barely a week after the
presidential task force on COVID-19 announced that the virus strain first
reported in the UK has been found in Nigeria.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities have already banned
transit flights conveying Nigerians from its airports while Nigerians on
transit flights operated by UAE carriers are confined to the airports.
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