By: Tito Chapman
St. Kitts and Nevis is among CARICOM states identified as low-risk COVID-19 destinations that will allow travel from similar states without PCR test prior to arrival and without having to undergo a quarantine period, effective Friday (September 18).
This latest development is as a result of an agreement that instituted a Regional Travel Bubble.
At a CARICOM meeting on Friday, September 11, an agreement was reached to create such a Bubble.
The countries that presently meet the criteria to be in the bubble are: St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The other Member States and Associate Members will be allowed to participate when they meet the criteria.
CARICOM Chairman Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, after the September 11 Special Emergency Session of CARICOM announced that:
Countries would be categorised ranging from those with no cases to those which had low, medium, high, and very high risk with respect to the rate of positive cases over a 14-day period; the level of risk would be determined by the amount of positive cases per 100,000 of the population within a 14-day period; only those countries with no cases and those in the low-risk category would be allowed to participate in the Bubble, and CARPHA will assess relevant data to advise on participation in the Bubble.
Heads of Government agreed that travellers from countries within the Bubble would be allowed entry without being subjected to PCR testing prior to arrival and would also not have to undergo quarantine restrictions. Travelers may however be subjected to a screening on arrival.
