Spain Imposes COVID Protocols for Ceuta and Melilla Border Reopening with Morocco

It is an "urgent and necessary measure, especially given the reopening of land border crossings in Ceuta and Melilla," it is stated in the order of the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, published on Saturday in the Official State Gazette (BOE), stressing that "the objective is precisely to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus and its variants" in Spain.

Thus, passengers at the borders of Ceuta and Melilla will have to present a valid vaccination certificate, issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin fourteen days after the date of administration of the last dose of the full vaccination schedule, provided that it does not exceed two hundred and seventy days from that date, according to Europa Press. Failing that, passengers will have to provide a negative diagnostic test, approved by the EU health security.

Read: Spain to Reopen Ceuta and Melilla Borders with Morocco After Two-Year Closure

In the event that the passenger does not have either the vaccination certificate or the negative diagnostic test, they will be required to provide a recovery certificate confirming that they have undergone treatment after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. This certificate must be issued by the competent authority or by a medical service and will be valid for one hundred and eighty days after the date of the first positive test result. On the other hand, no additional document will be required for holders of a European Union Digital Covid Certificate or any equivalent document.

If during the health check, a person is suspected of suffering from Covid-19 or another pathology that could pose a public health risk, they will be subject to a medical evaluation that could lead to the activation of a protocol with the health services of the National Institute of Health Management (Ingesa), the order specifies, warning that any violation of these health rules will result in a ban on entry into Spanish territory for public health reasons.