Dominica places Antigua in high-risk category for COVID-19

Dominica has reclassified Antigua and Barbuda as high-risk, based on the number of COVID-19 cases in the twin-island nation.

The reclassification took effect Tuesday, and will result in people travelling from Antigua and Barbuda having to submit an online health screening form and a negative test from a PCR test for which swabs were taken within 24-72 hours of arrival in Dominica.

Travellers will also be mandated to stay in either a government-operated quarantine facility or in a Safe in Nature certified property for the initial mandatory quarantine period until they are discharged by health professionals.

“Upon exiting the port of entry [in Dominica], travellers will submit to a quarantine period of up to seven days where a PCR test is taken on day five after arrival and results are expected within 24-48 hours,” a statement from the Discover Dominica Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Travellers must submit themselves to mandatory quarantine and may opt to quarantine at the government-operated facility or at a Safe in Nature certified property.”

The Authority said the country’s risk classification is based on the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO), Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) models.

Other countries in the high-risk category are: Barbados, Curacao, Canada, Italy, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Belize, Guadeloupe, Martinique, United States, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa, Peru, Mexico, Haiti, Columbia, Chile, Spain, Iran, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Argentina, Dominica Republic, Japan, Ecuador, Bolivia, Panama, Aruba, Suriname, St Lucia, Sint Maarten, Saint Martin, St Vincent & Grenadines, and Turks & Caicos Islands.

Finland, Sweden, Nigeria, Switzerland and in the medium-risk category; while Anguilla, Grenada, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts & Nevis, The Cayman Islands, Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Greenland, Singapore are low risk.

Country risk categorisation are reviewed and published on a weekly basis.

Dominica recently introduced new procedures for arriving passengers to improve monitoring and enforce compliance of health and safety protocols.

All arriving passengers and crew who are to undergo a period of quarantine are assigned colour coded wristbands, fitted by medical professionals at all ports of entry.

Those on mandatory quarantine at government facilities, crew and passengers on cargo vessels and yachts who will be quarantined on their vessel, and airline crew who will transit overnight at a Safe in Nature certified property are assigned neon orange wristbands; while those on mandatory quarantine at government-certified properties and mandatory in-room isolation at a Safe in Nature property will be assigned a neon green wristband.

In transit passengers who will be quarantined at a Safe in Nature certified property will be assigned a light blue armband; travellers who will be assigned to in-room isolation will be given a neon red armband; and deportees, detainees and illegal entrants who will be quarantined at a government-run facility will be assigned a white wristband.

“Wristbands can only be removed by a designated health worker, or the COVID-19 point person at Safe in Nature properties once the traveller has been medically cleared,” the government said.

“A penalty of $2,500 shall be applied if wristbands are removed before the traveller has been medically cleared. The general public is asked to report any instances of persons seen in public wearing the wristbands.”

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