PRIME Minister Mia Amor Mottley has announced changes to protocols for persons entering the island.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Mottley declared war on COVID-19 and revealed a suite of changes coming not only to everyday life of Barbadians, but for persons making their way into the country during the pandemic.
During the broadcast, Prime Minister Mottley said, “Persons visiting Barbados as Barbadians coming home, as Barbadian residents, as persons who are long-stay residents but not Barbadian, as Welcome Stampers, as visitors, tourists. We love you. We welcome you. And the truth be told, we need you here. We really do. But we also want you to respect and adhere to our protocols and other regulations.”
As such Prime Minister Mottley said, “Effective February 3rd, all persons desirous of visiting Barbados shall be permitted to board a plane only if, as has happened before, they are in a possession of a negative PCR test, but I want you to listen to me carefully – the test taken no more than three days prior to departure. And I’m making this clear because in some instances people have been coming with a test result dated three days before. We want the tests to be done three days before, because that way we know that you fall within the 72-hour category.”
The prime minister also announced the introduction of a mandatory rapid antigen test on arrival. “Because those tests pick up persons who are positive and who can be pulled out immediately for any further action. And that takes care of the period of time of additional risk between when taking the test between then and the point of arrival.
“We are then saying, once you have a negative test, you will then go to a Government-authorised quarantine centre where you will then spend – and whether that is a free one or whether that is one where you pay, you will then spend a minimum of five nights before a PCR swab is then taken to determine whether you are suitable for safe exit from that facility.
“If you are positive with the rapid antigen test, then you must go immediately to Harrison’s Point for assessment, because obviously you have, as others who have tested positive, to be assessed by the doctors to ensure that they can appropriately categorise where you are. And I say so because there is a view that a PCR or antigen test is just a simple issue. It is not. The doctors have insisted on assessment of patients when they have tested positive, so they may appropriately determine the type of care and the type of facility that is needed.” (JH)