New protocols to start this weekend

Chief Product Development Officer at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Marsha Alleyne, is giving Barbadians the assurance that the new travel protocols, which come into effect on Saturday, May 8, have been developed with guidance from the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

Speaking yesterday morning during the programme COVID Queries, Alleyne said it is a “very collaborative effort” between the tourism and health authorities, as she noted that the scientific information that the Ministry of Health has been able to share and the trends in health, have informed the changes that have been made in respect to the protocols.

Effective May 8, travellers arriving in Barbados are being divided into two categories – fully vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers. Alleyne explained that while both categories of travellers are required to obtain negative PCR tests three days prior to arrival on the island, that is where the similarities in the protocols end.

Her comments came as she explained the difference between the two categories. According to Alleyne, travellers are deemed to be fully vaccinated, after more than 14 days have elapsed since their second dose of the two-dose vaccines such as AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer or more than 14 days after the single-dose vaccine, Johnson & Johnson. She added that those who have been fully vaccinated should have evidence of this.

Noting that the various source markets would have their own vaccination cards, Alleyne said the Ministry of Health has been reaching out to those countries to ascertain what such cards look like and whether they are in electronic or physical formats.

“They have already done that level of validation, so that when the person shows it at the airport, they already know – and it is the Ministry Health who will be doing the validation – whether or not this vaccination card or process is legit or not,” the BTMI official stated.

She said that on arrival, once the vaccination information has been validated, the fully vaccinated travellers will be given a rapid PCR test at the airport or a standard PCR test at their approved accommodation. The Chief Product Development Officer explained that those results should be back within 24 hours and once negative, persons will be cleared to enjoy their vacation.

Turning her attention to unvaccinated travellers, Alleyne explained that persons are considered to be unvaccinated if they have been vaccinated with a vaccine not approved by Barbados; they have only received one dose of a two-dose regime or have not received a shot at all or if they claim to be vaccinated but have no proof.

“Those persons as was done in the past will continue to come in with their negative PCR test, taken within 72 hours of travel; they will go through the processes, they will be given the BIMSafe bracelet and go to the approved accommodation in approved transportation where they will quarantine,” she said.

Five days after arrival, she explained, they will be tested and once negative, they will be approved to move around freely on their holiday. Her comments came as she indicated that the lists of approved quarantine accommodation and transportation, which is updated frequently, are available on the visitbarbados.org website.

Asked about unvaccinated children travelling with fully vaccinated parents, Alleyne indicated that persons under the age of 18 will be treated in the same manner as fully vaccinated visitors, and vice versa.

“Remember, even though that child would be unvaccinated, they would still have to come to Barbados with a negative PCR test result as well, once they are over the age of five,” she said.

The BTMI official went on to say that there are some exceptions with respect to travellers coming into the island. She explained that persons who are travelling from or transiting countries such as Brazil, India or South Africa within the last 21 days, will be treated as though they are unvaccinated travellers, even if they are fully vaccinated. In that respect, she said they will have to quarantine for five days before being given a PCR test on day six.