A woman who was allowed to board a flight from the United States without a negative covid-19 test has tested positive for the coronavirus on arrival into Antigua & Barbuda.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the returning national asserted her right to travel to the country as a citizen and the airline allowed her to board even though she did not have a negative covid-19 test.
Browne disclosed on Pointe FM that the woman came to Antigua this weekend for the Carnival Holidays but tested positive after being processed locally.
He said the woman who is also a U.S citizen was able to force the airline officials to place her on the flight without the test.
The Prime Minister says he has warned the airlines that under no circumstances should passengers be allowed to travel to Antigua & Barbuda without a negative test.
He said it is for this reason that British Airways which returned here today may not have been full as earlier reported.
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Selfish individual
Why would you do that and put others in danger? Some ppl just have no sense or respect for others.
All bark and no bite. What happen if they do it again, what will he do not pay the airline company for the empty seats? If he do they stop coming, then what?
This whole protocol thing is a joke, bout he warn airline, if the airline say they not coming he get on his knees to beg, so might as well he shut up and stop behaving like he have power. Is the airlines run things, they bring who they want because D country bruk and you need d money to look good😐 so you emailed you citizens so tourist can come 🤦🏿♂️ what a thing in this likkle Antigua at this emancipation time
You sound so foolish….. Alot of Antiguans and Barbudans has invested all their saving in their small tourism based businesses. Its the PM’s job to ensure the Airlines come to Antigua…. Politics got you talking foolishness
Would just never see beyond Politics…You people can’t consider people’s livelihoods?
Weather a person is a citizen or not they should never be allowed to board a flight ✈️ to come in the country WITH out a Covid19 test, if that is the rule that’s just the rule. SMH
A test 7 days old is ok though?
Exactly
Its nonsense. I assume the reason for the 7-day grace period is that testing is so backed up in the US, it can take a week to get results from a Covid test. Obviously A LOT can happen in those 7 days! But Government doesn’t want to miss out on those precious tourist dollars. Limited Covid exposure or limited income for Antigua’s people? There are no easy answers. But Government has resigned to the fact that we will have an influx of Covid in order to keep the economy going, PM Browne has said it many times. These “requirements” to travel to Antigua are just smoke and mirrors, to appease Public opinion. All we can do is brace ourselves and do our best to protect each other.
These rules need to be obeyed. The population must be protected from these returning fresh-water Yankee wannabes. The rules are for everybody.
What about the others on the plane? They all need to be quarantined.
Everybody who come to Antigua year positive for covid 19.. chupzzz Antigua people don’t know what they are doing. Half these people are negative and Antigua say they are positive. And the people aren’t positive .. bunch of incompetent fools
It’s only right that anyone who is travelling to Antigua should be tested citizen or not the people of Antigua needs to protected.
Do you think that any Antiguan/Barbudinan could have been able to persuade any Airline in America to allow us to board an aircraft without having the Vivid Test.
…..Covid-19 Test….
This is just so sad. The selfishness we as humans display is shocking to say the least. Even if you are returning to your hometown, there are certain protocols in place to try and protect the nationals of the island you obviously don’t love.
If you loved Antigua I would be bold enough to say that you would have done your part to protect us all.
Lady!!!! God grant you a heart of flesh and not of stone.
Selfish is an understatement. But the real concern is with the authorities! Who is in charge here? What’s the point of having rules/laws if no one is enforcing them? The airlines are at fault for not enforcing Antigua’s entry requirements, but ultimately the buck stops with the Government. We are in uncharted territory with this Pandemic, but the Government’s handling of the crisis has been chaotic, confusing and inconsistent. How can anyone take us seriously?
Meanwhile, I would like to know exactly what happened with the 20 tourists that tested positive in the first week after the airport opened? How dare the Government and airline allow them to get back on planes to the US, knowing that they were Covid positive?! And how is the airport STILL allowing private plane passengers to disembark without Covid test results?! Yes, this is happening folks! And don’t assume its just “white tourist” privilege because its not!
Apparently we are NOT “all in this together”. Do your best to protect yourselves and your loved ones.
I bet that persons listens to Observer
Radio while overseas, all Observer does is to give deliberate misinformation and twist and turn what officials say just so that they can fulfill its(Observer Radio controlled by serpent) agenda for the UPP…… MisObserver
@ Eli Fuller (the Lord’s Annointed?)
You earlier asked, cynically I suspect, “A test 7 days old is okay though?”
Though not published, my response to you then was simply “Yes Eli, it is. Half of the information is better than none at all.” For persons gathering bio data etc. on possible Covid carriers, such information could be very useful. You know that!!
Someone could be tested three days ago for Covid-19.That result could come back negative.That same person is tested again in 5 days later for Covid-19.That test could come back as positive for Covid-19.What we need in my opinion.Is a Government established web site.Dedicated to all travelers coming into Antigua and Barbuda.It spells out all the requirements to enter Antigua and Barbuda.There should be no grey areas.You would enter the Country and present all documents required to the Immigration and Customs.That in my mind would take all the guess work out of traveling into Antigua and Barbuda.Because everyone would be on the same page.As it stands now.Things are being made up as we go.
So why the airline was not fined.?
That’s what real country do.
It’s strange how we charge a man for nor wearing a mask but do nothing about the caucaside air craft that knowingly brought a disease person to the land we occupy contrary to our laws.
Happy emancipation day.
So who checking that miss lady in quarantine…or as a ‘citizen’s she have the right to be free to infect everyone she comes in contact with? What a wicked woman! Quarantine she for 14 days…then jail she! No Carnival for you!
The airline was not fined because the The government is lying. You are NOT REQUIRED to present a negative covid test to board the airline to come to ANTIGUA. YOU ARE NOT! JETBLUE, AMERICAN AND DELTA DO MOT ASK U DOR A NEGATIVE COVID TEST.
The airline gives you a form to fill out for the Antiguan authorities that’s it. Y’all government is lying they have no arrangement with the airlines to get nonnegative test
I agree
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