SVG doubles in-hotel quarantine to 10 days

Effective tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 23, persons arriving in St. Vincent and the Grenadines from countries where there is a high risk of COVID-19 exposure would be required to quarantine themselves for 10 days at their own expense in a government-approved hotel.

This is according to the latest “Protocol for the Entry of Travellers to St. Vincent and the Grenadines”, announced by the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) on Tuesday evening.

The protocol says that high-risk countries include the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Canada as well as SVG’s closest neighbours, St. Lucia, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago (see full list below) nd doubled the previous number of in-hotel quarantine days.

Travellers arriving from medium risk countries MUST Mandatory quarantine for 24 to 48 hours at home to await clearance.

Meanwhile, travellers arriving from low risk jurisdictions may be tested for COVID-19 on arrival in SVG at the discretion of the port health officer and will not require quarantine if there is no evidence of on-board vessel exposure and not in a high-risk occupation.

See the full text of the protocol below

AIM: The safe entry of travellers to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in a manner that reduces the risk of the importation and subsequent transmission of COVID-19 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To establish the risk of the arriving traveller introducing new COVID-19 to SVG;

2. To minimize exposure of residents of SVG to new COVID-19 cases;

3. Early identification of potential exposure to COVID-19 and

4. Early containment of new COVID-19 cases.

ESTABLISH RISK OF ARRIVING TRAVELLER:

The arriving traveller will:

1. Complete the pre-arrival form available at health.gov.vc

And the port health officer will:

1. Review Port Health form for each arriving passenger.

Phased process of entry of travellers to SVG:

Testing & Quarantine:

PHASE #9 – Commencing Wednesday December 23, 2020:

• 1. Travellers to St. Vincent and the Grenadines MUST ARRIVE WITH a negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR COVID-19 test result as per the following: a. High Risk Countries:
  • i. United States of America, including the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), China, United Kingdom, Germany, British Virgin Islands, Guyana, Suriname, Belize, St. Lucia, Grenada, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil, India, Panama, Argentina, Peru, Haiti, Colombia, South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Philippines, Italy, Bahamas, Canada, Turks and Caicos Islands, France (including overseas regions), Spain and Russia.
  • ii. Must arrive with a negative result of a COVID-19 (RT-PCR) test done no more than seventy-two (72) hours or three (3) days before arrival.
  • iii. May be retested for COVID-19 (RT-PCR) on arrival in SVG.
  • iv. MUST Mandatory quarantine for 10 days in a Tourism Authority/MOHWE-approved transition/quarantine hotel at their cost. Must arrive with proof of the fully paid reservation.
  • v. MUST transfer to the transition hotel in an approved AIA taxi or approved vessel (plane or ferry) at own expense.
  • vi. Must be retested between day four (4) and day (7) of quarantine.
  •  
  • b. Medium Risk Countries (the country of residence will be the last country that the traveller was present in for at least 21 days): i. Taiwan, Cuba, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda;
  • ii. Must arrive with a negative result of a COVID-19 (RT-PCR) test done no more than 72 hours before arrival.
  • iii. Will be retested on arrival in SVG.
  • iv. MUST Mandatory quarantine for 24 to 48 hours at home to await clearance.
  • v. May continue 10 monitored days in an approved home/hotel/vessel at the discretion of the Port Health Officer.
  • c. Low Risk Countries (the country of residence will be the last country that the traveller was present in for at least 21 days):
  • i. Anguilla, Dominica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis;
  • ii. Must arrive with a negative result of a COVID-19 (RT-PCR) test done no more than 72 hours before arrival.
  • iii. May be tested on arrival in SVG at the discretion of the Port Health Officer.
  • iv. No quarantine if no evidence of onboard vessel exposure and not in a high-risk occupation.

• d. Resort Specific “Bubble Protocol” Hotels in SVG:
  • i. Resort Specific Protocols must be approved by the Health Services Subcommittee of the National Emergency Organization and bear the stamp of the NEMO.

• e. Any other country not assigned to the above categories should be assumed to be high risk.
  • f. High risk occupations include: i. Canadian Farm Workers
  • ii. Crew members (persons coming from a sailing vessel)
  • iii. Oil rig workers
  • iv. health care workers (current)
  • v. Prison/detention facility workers.

• 2. In-transit Passengers:
  • a. Through St. Vincent and the Grenadines:
  • i. Must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours of arrival.
  • ii. If the in-transit period does not include an over-night stay, that period must be spent at the Argyle International Airport.
  • iii. If the in-transit period includes an over-night stay, that period must be spent in a TA/MOHWE approved hotel.
  •  
  • b. Travellers intending to transit through another country from St. Vincent and the Grenadines are advised to visit the country’s travel website to determine the requirements for travel. For i. Grenada ii. Antigua iii. Barbados iv. St. Lucia

• 3. Diplomats:
  • a. Must have a negative PCR COVID-19 test result done within 72 hours of arrival.
  • b. ALL Diplomats who arrive by air will be quarantined at the discretion of the Chief Medical Officer or the Medical Officer of Health.
  • a. Review of online pre-arrival form.
  •  

Process on Arrival:

ARRIVAL ASSESSMENT:

ESTABLISH SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 STATUS:

1. a. Approval of SARS-CoV-2 test result by Port Health Team.
2. b. Collection of a nasal swab specimen for a COVID-19 PCR test from all qualifying disembarking travellers.

• c. All travellers will be assessed by the Port Health Officers to determine their final level of risk and the length of mandatory quarantine required.
• d. All travellers will be required to monitor their temperatures and other symptoms for the next 10 days and report any abnormalities to the local health authority.
• e. All travellers with a positive COVID-19 PCR test result will be isolated in an approved accommodation/facility at the traveller’s own cost.

REQUIREMENTS OF DISCHARGE FROM QUARANTINE:

1. 1. Objective measures: a. Negative PCR Test
   1. b. Not a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case.
   1.  
   1. 2. Subjective measures: a. Absence of signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
   1.  
   1. 3. Not determined to be at high risk for being exposed to COVID-19

Please note that this protocol is prepared by the Health Services Subcommittee of the National Emergency Committee/COVID-19 Task Force and may be revised at any time at the discretion of the Health Services Subcommittee.