Dis-Chem now does rapid Covid testing at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is now offering a Covid-19 rapid Antigen tests at OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports to meet the additional requirements for people flying abroad.

The pharmacy chain has been offering antigen and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing at its network of stores for some time. However, with government publishing updated rules around travel, the antigen testing has been extended to two of the three airports open for international travel.

According to the latest travel regulations, all international travellers arriving at the airports listed must provide a valid certificate of a negative Covid-19 test, recognised by the World Health Organisation.

In the event of the traveller’s failure to submit a certificate as proof of a negative Covid-19 test, the traveller will be required to do an antigen test on arrival at his or her own cost.

In the event of a traveller testing positive for Covid-19, he or she will be required to isolate him or herself at his or her own cost, for a period of 10 days.

Dis-Chem said that international travellers are still required to have a PCR test seventy-two hours before flying but now, in addition, an antigen test before boarding a plane.

“This rapid antigen test is a nasopharyngeal test which provides results in approximately 15 minutes and will reveal if a person is currently infected with the Covid-19 pathogen,” Dis-Chem said.

“This test is provided at the Dis-Chem Airport sites at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports. Rapid antibody testing and PCR swab tests are also available at these airport testing sites that are currently operational from 08h00 to 17h00 daily but hours may be extended as more international flights become available,” it said.

International travel is currently restricted to the following airports:

• OR Tambo International Airport:
• King Shaka International Airport;
• Cape Town International Airport.

While South Africa is open to international travellers, several countries and airlines still have restrictions in place, barring travel to and from South Africa.

Read: Airlines and countries extend travel restrictions for South Africa