Coronavirus testing site opened at Schiphol for travelers from South Africa

People returning from South Africa via Schiphol can get tested for the coronavirus immediately after arrival at the airport from Sunday. The GGD Kennemerland has set up a special testing site at the airport for this.

It was decided to set up the testing street after the Omicron coronavirus variant was discovered in southern Africa. This variant has also surfaced in several other countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled the Omicron variant concerning, but it is not yet clear what the consequences are for the severity of the disease and the effectiveness of vaccines.

The intention is that people quarantine at home after getting tested at Schiphol.

On Friday, the GGD tested 624 passengers returning from South Africa for the coronavirus. The 61 passengers who proved to have contracted the coronavirus are in isolation. It is not yet known whether and how many Omicron infections there are. The test samples were sent to the RIVM for further analysis. The RIVM will publish the results on Sunday afternoon.

The testing site at Schiphol will, in any case, be in use until Saturday, December 4. All travelers who arrived from South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Malawi after November 21 to quarantine. "Even if there are no complaints, you have been vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19," GGD Kennemerland said.