The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands has extended until 24:00 on September 30 the performance of screenings to contain the transmission of SARS-COV-2 through diagnostic tests of active infection (PDIA) to passengers entering the Canary Islands from the rest of the national territory, by air or sea.
This new extension will be effective from 00.00 hours on August 1, after the publication of the Order of the Minister of Health, Blas Trujillo, in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands and, according to the regional Executive, constitutes "a necessary measure to continue with the control and containment of imported cases of coronavirus in travelers from other parts of the national territory and while the rate of vaccination against Covid-19 is accelerated".
Since its implementation on December 18, 2020, PDIA screening of passengers entering the Canary Islands from the national territory has been an "effective" measure for the control of the pandemic according to the Ministry of Health, which details that "during the month of July, 96 percent of national travelers who have arrived in the Canary Islands have complied with the requirements set forth in the regulations."
Current regulations
The Ministry of Health modified the regulations at the beginning of July, excluding passengers under 12 years of age who enter the Canary Islands from the rest of the national territory, by air or sea, from undergoing screening by means of diagnostic tests for active infection (PDIA), in order to contain the spread of infections caused by SARS-CoV-2.
For the rest of the population over 12 years of age (or with 12 years completed), the regulations that require undergoing a PDIA for SARS-CoV-2 with a negative result, performed in the 72 hours prior to arrival in the Canary Islands, remain in force.
Cases of exclusion from PDIA performance
According to the regulations in force, the presentation of a negative PDIA is not required at the time of entry to the Canary Islands in the following cases, in addition to those under 12 years of age:
- Persons in transit through the territory of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, that is, those who make a stopover in the Canary Islands whose final destination is another country or another place in the national territory.
- Persons who prove that they have been outside the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands for a period of less than 72 hours prior to arrival, regardless of their place of residence.
- Persons vaccinated against COVID-19 with the complete vaccination schedule within 8 months prior to travel, or with a single dose more than 15 days in advance and within four months prior to travel.
- Persons who have had the disease less than 6 months prior to the date of travel.
- Persons who accredit a reservation in a tourist accommodation establishment registered in the General Tourist Registry of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.
The vaccination and Covid-19 recovery certificate can be obtained in the application www.micertificadocovid.com or by accessing miSCS, within the miHistoria web space.
Admitted tests
The diagnostic tests for active infection admitted, at the passenger's choice, are the molecular nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), used to detect the presence of ribonucleic acid (RNA) of SARS-CoV-2 (including RT-PCR, TMA and LAMP), as well as antigen detection tests included in the common list of rapid antigen detection tests for COVID-19, published by the European Commission based on Council Recommendation 2021/C 24/01.
The Ministry of Health reminds that the diagnostic test, both at origin and destination, will be free for travelers residing in the Canary Islands who come from the rest of the national territory and perform the test in the Eurofins Megalab centers arranged by the Canarian Health Service for this purpose.
Accreditation documentation of the test
The accreditation documentation of the test must be the original, written in Spanish, in paper or electronic format, and must indicate at least the name and surnames of the traveler, date of sample collection, type of test performed, data of the authorized health center that performs the test, negative result of the test and issuing country.
In the case of antigen tests, it must also reflect the homologated specificity and sensitivity. The interested parties or the laboratories, with the express authorization of the interested parties, will send the analytical results electronically to the Canarian Health Service, to the address pdiasviajes@gobiernodecanarias.org, prior to their arrival in the Canary Islands.
Request for results at destination
The Ministry of Health has an operation of Covid-19 control points in the six Canary Islands airports that operate with national flights in which the accreditation of the PDIA result or the vaccination certificate is requested. In the exceptional case that the passenger has not performed the PDIA in the 72 hours prior to arrival, he/she must isolate himself/herself in his/her residence and perform a PDIA in the 72 hours following his/her arrival, and must send the result to the SCS.
The isolation must be maintained until obtaining and sending a negative diagnostic test or, if applicable, the epidemiological discharge. Those who do not perform the PDIA must remain isolated in their residence for 10 days and are exposed to the foreseen sanction.
Exclusions from the isolation regime
The following passengers who have opted for the modality consisting of performing a PDIA in the 72 hours following their arrival are excluded from undergoing the isolation regime:
- Employees for others or self-employed who perform critical occupations, including health workers.
- Transport workers or transport service providers, including drivers of goods vehicles transporting goods for use in the territory.
- Patients traveling for imperative medical reasons.
- Persons traveling for imperative reasons for assistance or care, to the elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities or especially vulnerable persons.
- Public representatives, diplomats, personnel of international organizations and persons invited by them whose physical presence is necessary for the proper functioning of such organizations, military and police, humanitarian workers and civil protection personnel, in the exercise of their functions.
- Seafarers arriving in the Canary Islands returning from their campaign on board a ship or in transit to embark or disembark.
- Crews of ships and aircraft that carry out passenger or goods traffic between the Canary Islands and other Autonomous Communities or countries.
- Journalists on professional assignment.
Request an appointment in advance at origin
The Ministry of Health reminds that the SCS has signed an agreement with a network of laboratories with 68 locations throughout the national territory and that it is necessary to make an appointment for the performance of the test in the laboratory closest to the address to which you are going to go.
The traveler must present at the time of the test the printed accreditation documents (test voucher downloadable on the web, photocopy of the ID or residence certificate and photocopy of the flight voucher to the Islands).
Travelers residing in the Canary Islands can consult the list of laboratories with addresses and telephone numbers and download the free test voucher on the website of the Canarian Health Service.
