Follow up: SKN’s health experts recommend less quarantine period for travellers

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis- Timothy Harris, discussed Beneficial Changes To COVID-19 Protocols on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. 

In which the most highlighted one was “less quarantine period for travellers.” As we all know, that quarantine period includes a total of 14 days or more than 14 days.

But new, Beneficial changes to COVID-19 Protocols stated that “1. Reduced quarantine period. Our medical experts have recommended reducing the quarantine period for the fully vaccinated inbound air travellers to St Kitts and Nevis from 14 to 9 days, effective May 01, 2021.”

The following protocols say, “Effective May 20, 2021 – fully vaccinated spectators can enter venues of amateur and recreational sporting events (football match, basketball match, athletic meets etc.). Our CMO will address the conditionality for this.”

Other protocols:

1. Fully vaccinated cultural/entertainment functions can be favorably considered, whereby only fully vaccinated patrons are permitted entrance. (Recommended start date week off – July 19, 2021.) 

2. Mixed (vaccinated and non vaccinated patrons) cultural/entertainment events must adhere to subsisting protocols.

3. Weddings, funerals, and church assistance will be mixed events (vaccinated and non vaccinated); therefore, must adhere to existing protocols.

4. Additionally, it is expected that the first cruise ship will return to St Kitts and Nevis in July 2021. This suggests an opportunity for our completely vaccinated taxi operators, restauranteurs, etc.

PM Harris’s Speech on tourism sector:

A speedy path to vaccination can yield many economic and broader societal benefits for us here in St. Kitts and Nevis. Just as our being low risk for COVID-19 brought our Federation 2 movies so far and 5 more to be filmed, so can we be fully vaccinated yield other economic benefits. Being the first to be fully vaccinated can put us at the top of the cruise and different tourism segments. 

Additionally, he added, “We as a country have been able to avoid costly borrowing and run thus far on the savings that we had set aside in the previous years of plenty, but it is time for the country to start earning again. It is in your hands, in the hands of all of us.”