16/02/2022
OFFICE OF THE CONTROLLER
PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response
Joint Agency Task Force
Media Statement – Tuesday 15th February 2022
Controller Manning issues new pandemic measures – pandemic approvals no longer required to enter PNG
The Commissioner of Police and Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response issued 10 new pandemic measures which come into effect tomorrow, Wednesday February 16, 2022.
The key changes to the measures are mainly in the international and domestic travel and social measures.
For international travel:
1. Tourists may now travel to PNG;
2. Pandemic Approvals are no longer required to enter PNG;
3. All persons must be fully vaccinated to travel to PNG, unless they are under 18 years of age or are a citizen of Papua New Guinea. A person is considered fully vaccinated if they have had the recommended number of doses for the vaccine as listed in Schedule 2, within the past 6 months; or they have had the recommended number of doses for the vaccine, as listed in Schedule 2 and they have had a booster vaccine;
4. All persons travelling to PNG must have a valid COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their original port of departure. Children aged 5 years and under are exempted from being tested;
5. All people arriving into PNG will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival;
6. If a person has within the last three months tested positive for COVID-19, a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner from their country of departure, certifying that the person is no longer infectious for COVID-19 shall be accepted but the individual must still be tested prior to leaving their port of departure within 72 hours and be tested on arrival;
7. There shall be no quarantine for any person, except for persons who test positive on arrival who shall be quarantined for 7 days; and
8. It is the responsibility of travel operators to make sure that a person has the necessary documents to board an aircraft/vessel to travel to PNG.
For domestic travel:
• No person may fly if they are symptomatic for COVID-19;
• All travelers must have their temperature checked by airline staff and no person may travel if their temperature registers at or over 37.5C (except for medivac and emergency flights); and
• All passengers must complete a National Department of Health form which is to be submitted to the Provincial Health Authority on arrival.
Changes to the social measures include:
• Public gatherings are restricted to 100 people, however religious gatherings, schools, educational institutions, markets and shopping centers and political gatherings are exempted from the gathering restrictions but must comply with Niupla Pasin;
• All organisations, including religious and political organisations must develop standard operating safety procedures for COVID-19;
• No sale of alcohol on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nationwide will continue to apply; and
• COVID-19 restrictions no longer apply to public transport.
The new measures (attached) come into effect on February 16 and will remain in force until the duration of the pandemic or otherwise as decided by the Controller.
Approved for release by:
David Manning, MBE, OStJ, DPS, QPM
Commissioner of Police & Controller
