Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana

Home Home | News & Events | Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Gaborone, Botswana (9/23/2020) 

Location:  Botswana 

Event:  Special Commercial Flight from Gaborone and Charter Flight from Maun 

Commercial flights out of Botswana remain suspended until further notice.  

Ethiopian Airlines Special Flight: Gaborone-Addis, September 29

Ethiopian Airlines plans to operate a special commercial flight on Tuesday, September 29.  The flight will operate from Gaborone to Addis Ababa, and onward flights must be booked in advance.  The cost and timing are unknown at this time.  If you are interested in this flight, please contact the airline sales manager Mrs. Neo directly at:

GBESM@ethiopianairlines.com (telephone +267 311 1631) to register your interest and arrange a booking.

Charter Flight: Maun-Doha, October 9

There is also a possible charter flight departing Maun on Friday, October 9 at 18:00, arriving in Doha at 05:55 on Saturday, October 10.  Onward flights must be booked in advance, and a negative COVID test no more than 72 hours prior to departure is also required for this flight.  Pricing and scheduling is still to be confirmed.

Please contact charters@globetrotter.com.au to register your interest and seek assistance with onward booking from Doha.  You will need to provide them the following:

  • Full Name as in passport
  • Traveler mobile number
  • Traveler email address
  • Copy of passport
  • Proof of residency/permit for final destination
  • Final destination city and country

For those taking the Ethiopian flight out of Gaborone on September 29:

Please note that the situation in Ethiopia is fluid and subject to change without notice.   

Ethiopian Airlines is continuing flights from Addis Ababa until further notice.  As a result, Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa is the de facto repatriation hub for U.S. travelers.  As of Monday, March 23, 2020, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) has instituted a mandatory 14-day quarantine procedure for all individuals entering Ethiopia.  There are two different types of passengers and at this time, they are being treated as follows: 

Ethiopia as a final destination:  Individuals must quarantine at their own expense at one of these designated hotels: 

Skylight Hotel – reservation@ethiopianskylighthotel.com or +251 116 818 181 

Ghion Hotel – info@ghionhotel.com or +251 115 513 222  

The Skylight Hotel should be the first choice since it is in close proximity to the airport. Please note that the Ghion Hotel is the less expensive hotel, but the Embassy has received numerous complaints about the condition of the hotel (no hot water, unclean, limited food) so travelers should be aware that the hotel may not meet their expectations based on U.S. standards.  

Transit Passengers: At this time, transiting commercial passengers are quarantined at one of the above hotels until it is time to return to Bole International Airport for their flight to the United States.  If a passenger arrived on a regularly-scheduled commercial flight they can remain in temporary quarantine until their next flight.  If the layover will exceed one overnight stay in Ethiopia, there is a risk in the traveler will be subject to a mandatory quarantine situation.  We strongly recommend transiting passengers make every attempt to avoid layovers requiring an overnight stay.  

Symptomatic Passengers:  If any transiting passengers appear symptomatic for COVID-19 (likely manifested through the presence of a fever), they will be taken to Bole Chefa Health clinic to be further tested.  These individuals must remain under the supervision of medical professionals within Ethiopia until cleared. Bole Chefa Health Clinic does not approximate U.S. standards for care or comfort.

In the meantime, please do not forget to register in STEP for the latest alerts and information from the U.S. Embassy in Gaborone at https://step.state.gov.    

 Actions to Take:  

Assistance: 

 

By | September 24, 2020 | Topics: Alert

Suggested for You

Footer Disclaimer

This is the official website of the U.S. Embassy in Botswana. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

American Flag