Barbados: New COVID-19 travel restrictions implemented as of August 3 /update 6

Event

Barbados authorities announced that new travel restrictions have been implemented as of Monday, August 3, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Under the new measures, travelers will face different restrictions based on the level of risk the country that they have traveled or transited through in the 21 days prior to their arrival in Barbados.

Travelers entering Barbados from high-risk countries are required to take a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and wait at the airport until the test results are received. Those who test negative are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine period. However, they will have the option to take a second test 5-7 days after the first and will be permitted to leave quarantine following a second negative test result.

Travelers entering Barbados from moderate-risk countries will be required to take a PCR test. If a negative result is produced, they will then be permitted to leave the airport. However, they will be subject to daily health monitoring for 14-days following their arrival. As with travelers from high-risk countries, those undergoing health monitoring will have the option to take a second PCR test 5-7 days after their arrival and, if negative, will no longer be subject to monitoring.

Travelers entering Barbados from low-risk countries are required to present evidence of a negative PCR test taken within the last 72 hours or take a test on arrival. Those with negative results will then be permitted to leave the airport.

Travelers entering Barbados from Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are all permitted to leave the airport without taking a PCR test.

Face masks are mandatory inside the airport at all times and a health screening questionnaire must be completed by all travelers at least 24 hours prior to arrival.

As of Tuesday, August 4, health authorities have confirmed 132 cases of COVID-19 in Barbados with seven associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.