CARICOM to launch travel bubble

A Caribbean Community (CARICOM) travel bubble will be launched on Friday, 18 September, to resuscitate the regional travel and tourism sectors challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic since March.

CARICOM Heads took this decision following a Special Emergency Session. The leaders were guided by a report from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), which provided recommendations on how the Bubble would operate, and laid out the eligibility criteria for countries to participate.

The guidelines included that countries would be categorised ranging from those with no cases to those which had low, medium, high and very high risk with respect to the rate of positive cases over a 14-day period.

The level of risk would be determined by the number of positive cases per 100,000 of the population within a 14-day period AND ONLY those countries with no cases and those in the low-risk category would be allowed to participate in the Bubble.

CARPHA will assess relevant data to advise on participation in the Bubble.

Heads of Government agreed that travellers from countries within the Bubble would be allowed entry without being subjected to PCR testing prior to arrival and would also not have to undergo quarantine restrictions. Travellers may however be subjected to a screening on arrival.

Initially, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be in the Bubble as they presently meet the criteria. 

Other Member States and Associate Members will be allowed to participate when they meet the criteria.

CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves hailed the development.

“Heads of Government look forward to more CARICOM countries joining the travel bubble as the region learns to live with this pandemic safely without destroying lives or livelihood,” said Gonsalves