FEDERAL CABINET APPROVES THREE CHANGES TO ST. KITTS AND NEVIS’ HEALTH AND TRAVEL PROTOCOLS

Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 03, 2022 (SKNIS): Incoming travelers will experience even less restrictions as the Federal Cabinet of St. Kitts and Nevis granted approval for three changes to the Federation’s health and travel protocols effective March 01, 2022. 

This was revealed by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Hazel Laws, at the March 02, 2022, NEOC COVID-19 Press Briefing held at the NEMA Conference Room. 

“No quarantine for persons coming in with any of the five following vaccines and these vaccines have not yet achieved WHO Emergency Use listing: these are Abdala, Soberana 2, Soberana Plus, Medigen and Sputnik V,” said CMO Laws. “Individuals who are coming from Cuba or Taiwan or coming in with any of the three vaccines available in Cuba or the Medigen vaccine available in Taiwan or the Sputnik V vaccine, they would be allowed to come in and they will not have to serve a quarantine.”

The second change relates specifically to unvaccinated nationals who are coming into St. Kitts and Nevis. Previously, they would have had to quarantine for nine (9) days at a government-approved quarantine facility or at home with paid security.

“So this quarantine period has been reduced to seven (7) days. So there is a reduction in the quarantine period for unvaccinated returning nationals. And please note that this reduced quarantine can be completed at home without the paid security facility,” said Dr. Laws.

Persons in the Federation who are planning short trips will also benefit from the changes.

“Such individuals who leave the Federation and travel to neighbouring islands for less than 24 hours can return by completing the entry form. They are also required to submit a negative COVID-19 test done prior to departure,” said CMO Laws. So for example, if you are going to St. Martin and an antigen test is required to go there, you can upload that negative test onto the platform and you can get approval to return on that test. However, travelers will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival back into St. Kitts and Nevis at RLB or Vance Amory Airports. If you are coming in by sea you can access testing through any of the laboratories on the island.”

Dr. Laws added that travelers who leave on short trips will be flagged for a 24-hour quarantine period until their negative test is returned.

The other health and travel protocols remain unchanged. All incoming visitors must be vaccinated and all inbound passengers into the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis are required to complete and submit the Customs, Border and Health Entry Form found at www.knatravelform.kn before departure. They are also still required to submit a negative COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain reaction Laboratory-Based Molecular Test (RT-PCR Test) done within 72 hours of travel at an ISO 17025/CLIA accredited laboratory.

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