The Government has approved this week an agreement that maintains the exceptional measures to stop the spread and contagion by variant B.1.1.529 (omicron) of COVID-19 approved on November 30, by which they limit flights between South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe and Spanish airports.
According to the agreement adopted by the Council of Ministers, and published by the BOE today, these same restrictions will apply to flights from airports located in Malawi and Zambia, bringing the total number of countries concerned by this agreement of the Council of Ministers The measure will enter into force at 00:00 on December 16 (peninsular time) and will remain in effect until 24:00 on December 29, 2021 (peninsular time), a period that may be extended if necessary depending on the evolution of the situation and of the pandemic and of the decisions that can be taken in a coordinated manner in the European Union.
Flights to Spain may only be made from these 9 countries that are occupied by Spanish or Andorran citizens, as well as residents in both countries or passengers in international transit to a non-Schengen country with a stopover of less than 24 hours without leaving the transit area of the Spanish airport. . Flights of State aircraft, search and rescue services, flights with a stopover in Spanish territory for non-commercial purposes and destined for another country, exclusive cargo, positional and humanitarian, medical or emergency flights are exempt from this limitation. Nor will this restriction apply to aeronautical personnel necessary to carry out air transport activities.
Likewise and, given the appearance of this new variant B.1.1.529 (omicron) of COVID-19 and, activated the Integrated Political Response to Crisis-IPCR, of the EU Council, it has been concluded that the need that Member States activate the emergency brake in accordance with the provisions of Recommendation (EU) 2020/912, and urgently impose temporary restrictions on all travelers arriving in the EU from these countries, including the suspension of flights of passengers from these countries.
Additionally, they are in line with the objective established by the Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization and by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control to interrupt the spread of the virus, adopting firm measures to detect the disease in a early, isolate and treat cases, follow up on contacts and promote social distancing measures commensurate with risk.
