Luxembourg's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry of Health has announced the introduction of new travel restrictions for arrivals from southern Africa following the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant: B.1.1.529 or "Omicron".
In view of the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus at the international level and the circulation of mutated strains of the virus, which appears to be more transmissible than other variants, and more particularly in southern Africa, Luxembourg has introduced additional health measures, applicable from 27 November 2021 until 14 January 2022 inclusive, for any travel from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia or Zimbabwe to the Grand Duchy.
Anyone who has stayed in one of the aforementioned countries in the fourteen days preceding their arrival in Luxembourg must undergo a COVID-19 test (PCR, TMA or LAMP methods) as soon as possible by indicating their stay in one or more of these countries to the medical analysis laboratory. This obligation applies regardless of the duration of the stay in one of these countries and in Luxembourg and regardless of the means of transport to the Grand Duchy.
Upon arrival in the Grand Duchy, those concerned are placed in strict quarantine for seven days with the obligation to undergo a second nucleic acid amplification tests of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA (PCR, TMA or LAMP methods) from the sixth day of quarantine. In the event of refusal to submit to the test on arrival or at the end of the seven-day quarantine period, the quarantine will be extended for a further seven days, bringing the total duration to fourteen days.
Those concerned are required to report their presence to the Health Inspection Department (via email: contact-covid@ms.etat.lu or via tel.: 247-65533), as part of reinforced monitoring and tracing efforts.
By way of derogation, this new obligation of testing and quarantine does not apply to passengers in transit.
These additional health measures apply in parallel to the health and immigration restrictions already in force. The details of the applicable rules and the exemptions in place, as well as the exact procedures to be carried out beforehand, are available at: https://covid19.public.lu/en/travellers/visiting-luxembourg.html.
