St Kitts and Nevis: Govt removes quarantine guideline for fully vaccinated passengers

St Kitts and Nevis: The government has announced relaxation in travel protocols, according to which the fully inoculated passengers (12 years or above) entering the twin-island Federation would not be required to undergo quarantine and COVID test upon their arrival.

Still, the passengers would be needed to present a negative RT-PCR test, which must not be taken before 72 hours of their arrival in St Kitts and Nevis. This amended protocol will come into effect from Saturday, December 11, 2021.

Besides this, the government will also remove the protective barriers placed at Port Zante, making it more obtainable to all and allowing for greater business activity.

The government noted that this decision had been taken after having discussions with the health experts. These relaxed protocols were put on hold after a new COVID-19 variant was discovered on November 24, 2021, in South Africa.

The local health experts, on the basis of the scientific data, advised St Kitts and Nevis administration to impose these amended travel guidelines for the passengers.

The experts further noted that Omicron appears to be less severe than the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus while encouraging the eligible population of the twin-island Federation to follow the COVID-19 health protocols such as – wearing masks, sanitizing frequently and maintaining a social distance.

St Kitts and Nevis is also administering booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Highlighting the fact that only inoculation is the sole way to beat the deadliest mutant, the government is urging the citizens to get themselves vaccinated.

As per the statistics, around 52.5 percent of the twin-island’s population is vaccinated by receiving atleast one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines, whereas around 47 percent of its population has received their required doses of the WHO-approved coronavirus vaccines and are now fully immunized against the deadliest mutant.

In the past month, St Kitts and Nevis has also witnessed a massive decline in the daily infection toll of the COVID-19.