travel

In an updated travel advisory this evening, the CDC issued a Covid-19 level four alert for the island nation of 2.7 million people, the highest under its system, noting this is due to the very high level of cases on the Caribbean island.

It further cautioned even those who are “fully vaccinated” to “avoid all travel to Jamaica” but if it is that one must visit the tropical island they should “get fully vaccinated before travel”.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) welcomed the new United States administration’s balanced international travel measures which call for returning travelers and those entering the United States to show proof of receiving a negative antigen or PCR test while not mandating quarantines but recommending self-isolation upon returning. 

In an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Canada imposed new regulations on all travellers entering the country, effective January 7, 2021. Persons wishing to enter Canada must produce a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their departure, failing which they will be denied “boarding by the air carrier operating the flight to Canada”.

As a result of the reduction in capacity, the equivalent of 1,000 employees across the WestJet Group of Companies will be impacted through a combination of furloughs, temporary layoffs, unpaid leaves and reduced hours. There will also be a hiring freeze implemented.

The Caribbean island joins more 40 nations that have issued travel bans on UK arrivals due to concerns over a spread of a new strain of the coronavirus. 

However flights coming into country over the next 24 hours and outbound flights to the UK will be allowed up to midnight Tuesday, December 22.

The country is expecting three flights from the UK over the next 24 hours, one of which is already enroute, however passengers who board those flights will be subjected to a minimum of 48-hour state quarantine and PCR testing.