Caribbean tourism experts are urging regional governments to seriously consider allowing visitors with proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result to forego current quarantine requirements.
The suggestion was raised Wednesday and immediately picked up traction among industry leaders at an online discussion hosted by the umbrella Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) under the theme ‘Peak Position’.
“Perhaps the time has come for Caribbean destinations to consider allowing people to skip quarantine once they are vaccinated and have a negative COVID-19 test,” Collin Pegler, managing director of resort marketing international, urged his colleagues at the well-supported CTO event.
Barbados Today online quoted Pegler as saying: “…So perhaps we will have to move into a vaccine passport situation. A lot of governments have shied away from this but I can’t see it is a bad thing.
“You got a vaccination and you have a card in your hand that proves that you have had that vaccination along with a negative test up to three days before travel, then I don’t understand the need for somebody to go into quarantine.”
Pegler’s sentiments were echoed in the respected CondeNast Traveller magazine by Dr Karl Minges, chair of health administration and policy at University of New Haven, who said it is fair to assume that soon, hotels, airlines, and immigration services may require proof of vaccination before people are allowed to travel.
“This may be especially true for countries that have near-zero rates of transmission — New Zealand or parts of Australia — and are waiting to vaccinate the entire country,” said Minges. “You could receive a COVID-19 vaccination record to bring with you, for example.”
