By Staff Writer
As of this Wednesday (June 23rd) travellers arriving in Cayman will only need to quarantine for five days provided they can prove that they are fully vaccinated.
However, they must be tested before exiting quarantine, and un-vaccinated travellers will have to complete a 14-day quarantine period.
Expanding on the policy change announced last week by Hon. Premier Wayne Panton, Hon. Minister for Health and Wellness, Sabrina Turner, said the reduction is also conditional.
Travellers must have completed an approved course of vaccination against COVID-19 disease at least two weeks before travelling to the Cayman Islands.
The vaccine must also be one of the approved vaccinations as provided by the Chief Medical Officer.
She also explained that the mandatory 72-hour pre-arrival PCR testing has been reinstated for all incoming travellers, irrespective of their vaccination status, prior to arrival.
“Vaccinated travellers, whose vaccinations cannot be securely verified will have to quarantine for 14 days," Min. Turner explained.
The Health and Wellness minister also announced that mandatory weekly nasal and PCR testing will continue locally for unvaccinated frontline workers.
This applies especially to staff working directly with travellers, including Customs and Border Control(CBC) officers, airline staff at the Owen Roberts International Airport and other workers who have direct contact with travellers and other customer-facing roles.
Staff assisting with compliance, those working in government quarantine facilities, cleaners and transport teams are also included.
As of July 1st, further changes to the regulations will come into force especially requiring travellers to meet the cost of their quarantine.
As outlined by Min. Turner this includes persons quarantining in a government-run or designated quarantine facility for all non-essential travel. For this purpose, essential travel is defined as travel for medical reasons with an approved doctor's referral letter, travel for approved government, business, or students enrolled in educational facilities who are attending classes overseas.
However, she said exceptions to payment for government-run designated quarantine facilities for educational purposes, “shall only extend to returning students or parents, guardians returning from taking students under the age of 22 to an overseas enrolled educational institution, and that's with requisite proof.”
Noting that the reduced quarantine period would have been much anticipated as Cayman aims to return to normal, Min. Turner urged residents who have not been vaccinated to take the jab.
“I know that reducing the quarantine measures is something many have been hoping for, but I do want to implore on our community who are vaccine-eligible and who have not yet received their vaccines, to please make every effort to do so.”
Cayman’s reduction of quarantine to five days comes as several other countries are taking similar steps.
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