VERY HIGH RISK
THE Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a level four alert against Barbados, advising travellers not to visit the island.
The CDC is a national public health institute in the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services.
The alert on CDC’s website was last updated on January 19, 2021, adding Barbados to the long list of “level four” countries across the globe in this category. Stage four, the highest level, indicates very high levels of COVID-19 cases; stage three – high; stage two – moderate and stage one – low.
According to the CDC, “Travellers should avoid all travel to Barbados. Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.”
It went on to state: “Before you travel, get tested with a viral test 1–3 days before your trip. Do not travel if you are waiting for test results, test positive, or are sick. Follow all entry requirements for your destination and provide any required or requested health information. During travel, wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from people who are not travelling with you, wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer, and watch your health for signs of illness.
“Before travelling back to the United States, get tested with a viral test 1–3 days before travel. Follow all destination and airline recommendations or requirements. After you travel, get tested 3–5 days after travel and stay home for 7 days after travel. If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home for 10 days. If you had a known exposure to COVID-19 while travelling, delay travel, quarantine from other people, get tested, and monitor your health.
“Travel and COVID-19 Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Airports, bus stations, train stations, and rest stops are all places travellers can be exposed to the virus. These are also places where it can be hard to social distance. If you travel, take steps before, during, and after travel to keep yourself and others from getting COVID-19. Delay travel if you are waiting for test results, test positive, are sick, or if you have been around someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
“Do not travel if your test result is positive; immediately isolate yourself, and follow public health recommendations... If you get sick in Barbados, you might need medical care. Plan ahead and learn more about Getting Health Care During Travel.”
After travel, the CDC advises travellers that, “You might have been exposed to COVID-19 during your travels. You might feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can be contagious without symptoms and can spread the virus to others. After you travel, take the following steps to protect others from getting sick for 14 days after travel: Get tested 3–5 days after your trip and stay home for seven days after travel. Even if you test negative, stay home for the full seven days.”
“If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected. If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home for ten days after travel. Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not. Always follow state and local recommendations or requirements related to travel,” the advisory said.
Barbados has seen an upsurge in cases from the beginning of the year and on Saturday during a press conference, Minister of Health and Wellness, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic, announced that there is now community spread of the COVID-19 virus on the island.