Saint Lucia updates travel protocols, demands negative PCR test
Saint Lucia has introduced several new and updated protocols for arrivals from July 9, following a reassessment of market conditions. Travellers will be required to obtain a negative PCR (polymerised chain reaction) test within seven days of travel unless they are arriving from countries in the travel bubble designated by the government of Saint Lucia.
Visitors travelling only from destinations that have zero or a low instance of Covid-19 cases will be exempt from the seven-day pre-testing requirement, Breaking Travel News has reported.
These destinations currently include Antigua, Barbuda, Aruba, Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos.
Visitors with a travel history from these areas in the last 14-days will also be exempt from quarantine. All visitors and returning citizens to Saint Lucia must complete a pre-arrival registration form prior to touchdown.
Visitors are advised to head over to the official website and click on the Covid-19 page to find a link to the form. They must fill out details including proof of negative PCR testing and indicate which Covid-19 Certified hotel they will be staying in.
All returning Saint Lucia citizens and residents must also complete the pre-arrival registration form as above. On arrival, they are required to quarantine for 14-days at a pre-approved home quarantine address, government operated quarantine facility or a Covid-19 certified property, the Breaking Travel News report said.
Pre-testing prior to travel is now mandatory. Visitors must provide a negative test result taken seven days or less before travel to Saint Lucia. All arriving passengers will be screened, including temperature checks, at the airport. Any symptomatic passengers will be isolated and tested.
They will be required to remain in quarantine/isolation at their hotel or government operated quarantine facility until the test result is obtained. If the test is positive, they will be transferred to a treatment facility until they receive two negative test results and are clinically stable.
Passengers arriving with proof of a negative PCR test may be exempt from on-island testing and advance through immigration, baggage claim, customs and arrivals for transportation to their Covid-19 certified hotel, pre-approved home quarantine facility or government operated quarantine facility.
Anyone arriving without proof of a negative PCR test will be subject to immediate isolation and testing with possible quarantine or treatment should a passenger test positive – at their own cost.