New guidelines from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) compel all people who wish to stay in hotels across the country to first present Covid-19 tests before checking in. The guidelines which apply for both local guests and those travelling from abroad are in line with the Cabinet resolutions issued on December 14 regarding reinforcing measures to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to RDB’s statement, both Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Antigen Rapid C- 19 tests will be accepted for this cause. “All hotel properties are required to check for tests results before checking in guests,” the statement read, going further to remind all hospitality establishments to adhere to the health and safety directives issued by the Ministry of Health to curb the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring mandatory wearing of masks by patrons before and after consumption of food, as well as physical distance of 2 meters between tables at all establishments. In the same statement, RDB issued a reminder that international tourists entering the country will be required to take a PCR test upon arrival and will be valid for 120 hours. And after this period elapses (the 120 hours), they will be required to take rapid tests. About one week ago, the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) in partnership with Kigali International Airport established a PCR Covid-19 testing centre at the Kigali International Airport to ensure all arriving passengers are tested from the premise. After testing, the visitors are required to wait for the results while staying at the respective designed transit hotels; and within twenty-four hours after the tests, they can receive the results from the National Reference Laboratory. RDB’s new guidelines also require tourists visiting National Parks to present a negative Covid-19 Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction test; “with the exception of Akagera National Park where a negative Antigen Rapid Test results for Covid- 19 will be accepted,” the statement reads. The cost of the Rapid Antigen Test for Covid-l9, according to RDB is Rwf10,000 and results are available within 15 minutes after a test is taken. For Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction tests, each test costs Rwf 50,000. Earlier this week, Rwanda Biomedical Centre published a list of 42 private clinics countrywide that are accredited to start testing patients using antigen rapid tests.
