Iceland to test visitors upon arrival at Keflavik Airport

Iceland will test all airline passengers arriving at Keflavik Airport for coronavirus by June 15, with those resulting negative spared a mandatory two-week quarantine, the government said Tuesday.

Testing will take place inside the terminal of the international airport. Visitors will be allowed to head to their accommodation while they wait for the result of their test, which is expected to be delivered on the same day.

The rule will also apply to visitors who have tested negative abroad, but only if the country’s health officials deem their certificates to be reliable.

Iceland has carried out extensive testing for Covid-19 and has been able to contain the pandemic, with no new cases registered over the last five days.

“We don’t want to sacrifice our good results in the battle against Covid-19, but at the same time we are taking a step to open up the country and get the economy going again,” Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson said.