The Cabinet of Dominica has approved adjustments to protocols for fully vaccinated individuals entering Dominica.
On Tuesday, June 29 2021, cabinet made the decision to adjust travel protocols whilst still maintaining public health and social measures.
These protocols will go into effect from Wednesday, July 7 2021.
Minister for Health Wellness and New Health Investment, Hon. Dr. Irving McIntyre stated that this new protocols are expected to ease travelling for vaccinated individuals while increasing travel into Dominica.
“With the increase in scientific data available we continue to adjust travel protocols. In all our deliberations and decisions we have always and will always place the health and safety of the public first. The adjustments made will alleviate some of the inconveniences faced during travel and will improve the travel experience for vaccinated travelers. These new changes in protocols coupled with our excellent management of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to boost travel to Dominica as one of the most preferred destinations in the region,” Dr. McIntyre noted.
The Health Minister listed the pre arrival travel protocols for fully vaccinated visitors.
“Compulsory requirements for all fully vaccinated passengers and travelers will remain as follows. All travelers shall submit a health questionnaire online at least 24 hours prior to arrival in Dominica. Secondly upload a negative PCR test result from a swab taken within 24 to 72 hours prior to arrival. Thirdly upload vaccination certificate. Fourth, pay for antigen test online which costs 100 dollars. Fifth travelers must present to airlines or other travel carriers prior to boarding for travel to Dominica and upon disembarkation in Dominica, a negative PCR test results from swabs taken within 24 to 72 hours prior to arrival and also notification of health clearance to travel,” Hon. McIntyre explained.
The Minister noted that “upon disembarkation, travelers shall follow the standard health and sanitization protocols and present the following: notification of health clearance to travel to Dominica, negative PCR test result, vaccination certificate, and the receipt for payment of an antigen test.”
Minister McIntyre then detailed the process for testing for fully vaccinated persons into upon arrival in Dominica.
“Rapid antigen tests will be administered to all fully vaccinated travelers on arrival. If the antigen test is positive, a PCR test will be administered immediately and travelers will await the result in room isolation at Government operated facility or a Safe-In-Nature property. If the PCR is positive, then the traveler will be admitted to the COVID isolation unit until release by an authorized health professional and hospital fees will apply. If the OCR test is negative, travelers will be deemed medically cleared at the discretion of medical officials. If the antigen test is negative the traveler will be deemed medically cleared at the discretion of medical officials,” the Minister stated.
Hon. McIntyre further noted that fully vaccinated individuals will not be required to quarantine, before going on to explain the criteria needed to be declared fully vaccinated.
“There shall be no mandatory quarantine for fully vaccinated travelers who have been medically cleared. Travelers are expected to self-monitor, record temperature daily, and report any symptoms to health professionals. The public should note that individuals are considered to be fully vaccinated if they have completed both doses of an approved COVID-19 two-dose vaccine regime o have received a single dose of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been approved by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and New Health Investment, CARPHA and the World Health Organization. The second dose of the vaccine should have been received more than two weeks prior to travel to Dominica,” the Health Minister added.
Persons travelling from low risk countries, namely Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, and the British Virgin Islands; do not require mandatory quarantine, but instead will receive an antigen test on arrival and then be medically cleared if the test is negative.
Dr. McIntyre called on citizens as well as persons who are planning to travel to Dominica to get vaccinated, stating that vaccination is key for the continued reopening of the country’s economy.
“Let me take this opportunity to remind everyone that it is important to get vaccinated. It is very important to note that 99.5 percent of all covid related deaths over the past six months have been in unvaccinated individuals. Getting vaccinated is our defense against COVID-19 and the key to reopening our economy and also regaining and growing our livelihoods. It is important to show a sense of public concern and to continue to adhere to the basic protocols of hand washing, sanitization, wearing of masks and physical distancing. These basic and simple measures must continue since we know that that pandemic is not over and remains an ongoing threat,” the Health Minister urged.
Minister McIntyre went on to thank the public for adhering to the protocols that the Government has put in place, as well as the medical professionals and first responders that have worked to keep the country safe.
“We are also pleading to all travelers and visitors to adhere to the protocols. It is because of these protocols we have been able to keep our numbers down and our people safe. I thank the general public for your cooperation thus far and adhering to the public health and social measures. It is with this collective and collaborative action we will continue to fight this dreaded pandemic. I also wish to thank all our health care and other frontline workers for their continued dedication to the fight against COVID-19,” Dr. McIntyre added.
Minister for Tourism, International Transport and Maritime Initiatives, Hon. Denise Charles stated that the pandemic has posed numerous challenges for the tourism sector. She noted that the newly adjusted protocols will assist in the full reopening of the sector.
“The COVID-19 era has been really challenging for the tourism sector as we have concertedly had to evolve and adapt to changing protocols since reopening our borders to facilitate safe travel. However I believe that with the announcement of new protocols especially for vaccinated travelers who will no longer have to quarantine once medically cleared at the airport, we have reached a comfortable balance between health and tourism. We are in tuned with the many persons whose livelihoods depend on tourism and these new protocols will help us to ease towards a full reopening and certainly make our visitors more relaxed and safe in our nature,” the Tourism Minister stated.