What You Should Know About Coronavirus and Tanzania Safaris
As the effort to halt the coronavirus pandemic and, hopefully, bring it under control completely through vaccines continues around the world, we believe the following questions and answers about your safety while on a Tanzania safari will be useful in preparing your once-in-a-lifetime safari:-
Coronavirus and Tanzania Safari: What You Should Know
Qn 1. Is there a quarantine after arriving in Tanzania and before going on safari?
Ans;
The answer is no, there is no quarantine, but the following requirements must be met:
- Visitors must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate prior to arrival; those who do not will be tested upon arrival.
- On the recommendation of the Rapid Response Team, if a visitor is discovered to be positive, plans will be made.
- All visitors will be screened by public health experts to see if they have a high body temperature or other Covid– 19 symptoms.
Qn 2. How safe are the vehicles and the guides/drivers?
Ans.
The tour operators must follow the National Standard Operating Procedures for handling Covid– 19 to the letter.
- To quarantine their employees for 14 days, including tour guides, before providing any tourism-related services to guests.
- To ensure that the guides keep a distance of at least one (1) meter between themselves and the visitors
- To ensure that each guide exercises and follows the finest cleanliness procedures possible.
- To ensure that all employees wear prescribed safety equipment, such as masks, when attending to guests and servicing guest areas.
- To ensure that all cars are cleansed and sprayed between transfers using the specified solutions.
Qn 3. What are the procedures around accommodations I will be staying at?
Ans. National Standard operating procedures for managing Covid– 19 has laid down the safety measures and in combination with your own self-awareness in protecting yourself, a safe trip is more than possible. Below are the accommodation facilities safety measures;
- Screening at hotel facilities for temperature done at points of entry
- Accommodation staff should wear protective gear including face masks and gloves.
- Accommodation staff should make sure they don’t come 1 meter less close to the guests
- All accommodation facilities should frequently clean surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, light switches and doorknobs
- Dining and breakfast facilities should limit the number of guests to adhere to the safety distance required with tables also hosting a limited number of seats.
- Buffet style meals should be avoided
- Guests should be managed to be spread out at all times.
- Items that guests handle regularly must be sanitized regularly.
Qn 4. Is there any rescue plan by Earthlife expeditions?
Ans. YES, in fact, we’re members of AMREF Flying doctors in case of emergency.
On the other hand, every tourism entity is required to have in place an insurance mechanism for assisting guests to reach a designated hospital as approved by the Ministry of Health or to enable evacuation arrangements. I am happy to assure you that we already have that plan in place.
Qn 5. What are the safety measures at Tanzanian Airports?
Ans. National Standard operating procedures for managing Covid– 19 requires the Airports Authority to assure that;
- Screening for temperature is done at every entry & exit points.
- Check-in distancing should be observed
- All protective measures like; distancing, sanitization, a number of people in the lounge area should be exercised for both visitors and staff.
Qn 6. I’m undecided about whether canceling or postponing my trip is the best option.
Ans. Customers who are unable to travel during their initial booking period are strongly advised to POSTPONE rather than CANCEL their trips. We’re devoted to assisting with up to 12-month booking postponements.
Qn 7. What is the present state of Covid–19 in Tanzania?
Ans. The situation looks to be cooling now, with few patients in hospitals, following the country’s peak season, which appears to be between April and the first week of May 2020.
Qn 8. What is the monitoring plan?
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Health shall jointly supervise all tourism entities and ensure that:
- The Rapid Response Team’s contact numbers are prominently displayed at every building, car, and business.
- Guests and residents are encouraged to contact the Rapid Response Team at any time if they believe someone, a facility, or an entity is not following the safety procedures.
- In the event of an emergency, each tourism entity should have a protocol in place. This should describe what to do if someone becomes unwell, such as where to go if he has a high fever or is tested positive, and so on.
Qn 9. What if I book and fail to travel due to different reasons?
Ans. We’ve also made our deposit conditions more flexible, in addition to the savings.
That way, you can only pay a deposit of up to 25%, which means that if you have to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances, your refund will be processed much faster because it won’t be a large sum of money.
A final word,
According to Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner,
“We all need a break, especially after this confinement; we want to enjoy our summer vacations; we want to see our relatives and friends, even if they reside in a different region or country.”
We wish you the best of luck and look forward to working with you to get through this.
Lucah J. Mhina
CEO / Co- Founder
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