By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Sept. 4, 2020: While the United States has surpassed 6.2 million cases of the dreaded COVID-19 virus and 189,000 deaths, five Caribbean countries are among just 10 globally to report zero cases of the virus currently.
Anguilla, St. Lucia, Grenada, Montserrat and St. Kitts and Nevis have joined Macao, New Caledonia, Greenland, Falklands and Vatican City as the only places in the world with no active cases at present.
So how have they done it? The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis closed its borders early in March and remains closed as it dealt with the 17 cases on island and no deaths.
While St. Lucia reopened to international travelers on June 4th, the island put stringent measures in place that has kept its cases low at just 26 with no deaths. Currently, all arriving passengers must have a negative result from a PCR test taken no more than 7 days before arriving on the island and complete a Travel Registration Form. Additionally, all arriving passengers are screened for temperature checks and all symptomatic passengers are immediately isolated and tested. If test result is positive for COVID-19, the passenger is transferred to the Respiratory Hospital for treatment and care at their cost.
Other passengers are transferred by certified taxi to approved COVID-19 accommodation or to a government quarantine facility. Hotel guests travelling from the US, Canada and Europe among other countries except 12 in the Caribbean, are required to remain on property for the duration of their stay except to transfer to another Covid-19 certified property to continue their stay, or to participate in water-based excursions arranged by the hotel.
All visitors are also required to wear masks in public areas and social distance.
Grenada also reopened its borders on August 1st and has kept its cases at 24 with no active or new cases in recent weeks and zero deaths. Like Saint Lucia, the rules are stringent. Anyone traveling to Grenada from a high-risk country like the US, will find a 14-day mandatory quarantine period awaiting upon arrival. A negative PCR test result, dated at most 7 days prior to entry, is needed and must be presented on arrival or the visitor is denied entry. Masks are also required for entry.
Montserrat had closed its borders but reopened in August after recording only 13 cases and 1 death. But persons traveling to Montserrat will also be required to have a negative PCR COVID-19 test result, taken no earlier than seven days prior to entering the country. Individuals are also subject to screening, temperature checks and clinical examinations on entering Montserrat.
Anguilla has had only 3 COVId-19 cases since March and zero deaths. It now requires visitors to apply for pre-approval to enter via an electronic travel authorization that will be issued to your email address if the application is successful. Applicants must also present a negative COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival/return and health screening will be done at airports and other ports of entry. Insurance, which covers COVID-19 medical costs and full hospitalization, doctors’ visits, prescriptions and air ambulance will also be required as are masks.
