France is the latest country to lift South Africa out of the red list, as the world buckles under a vicious fourth wave brought on by the Omicron variant.
France removes South Africa from ‘red list’
In a statement published on Twitter by the French Embassy in South Africa, it was confirmed that travellers from Mzansi will now be conditionally granted entry into the European country.
France was one of the nations that acted rather hastily, scientists might argue, in placing South Africa on the red list after the Omicron variant was detected within our shores in late November 2021.
Virologists around the world and civil rights activists condemned the decision, stressing that it was not supported by scientific data since, at the time, not much was known about the super variant.
Two months into the fourth wave starring ‘Omicron’, the situation in South Africa and France is strikingly different. According to recent COVID-19 tracking data released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), South Africa has seen the worst of the fourth wave, with a 23.7% positivity rate on a seven-day average.
#COVID19 UPDATE: A total of 49,970 tests were conducted in the last 24hrs, with 11,106 new cases, representing a 22.2% positivity rate. A further 110 #COVID19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 91,561 to date. See more here: https://t.co/PvmjCodJjq pic.twitter.com/JYP0MN2beU
— NICD (@nicd_sa) January 5, 2022
In France, on the other hand, Omicron is wreaking havoc. The French health ministry revealed, on Wednesday, that for the first time since the start of the pandemic, the country recorded a total of 332 252 COVID-19 cases in the preceding 24 hours.
What South African travellers need to visit France
With the super variant well and truly on an undeterred course of destruction, keeping South Africa on the red list has become a fruitless exercise.
Effective immediately, South African travellers are now permitted to book flights to France. However, it won’t be as simple to make it past customs, especially if you are not vaccinated.
Here are the entry requirements for entry into France as a South African traveller:
PLEASE NOTE: France requires South Africans to obtain and present a valid visa. Please see this guide on what you need to apply for a French in South Africa.
- Negative PCR test result taken not longer than 48 hours before departure
- A valid passport
- Approved visa
- vaccination certificate
- IF VACCINATED: No quarantine will be necessary
- IF UNVACCINATED: Mandatory quarantine and rigorous PCR testing for a period not exceeding 14 days