Household members and primary contacts of travellers who test positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Cayman are now required to isolate for at least 14 days and take a PCR test, Public Health announced as part of new rules implemented in response to the emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant.
“These changes to Public Health policy are already in effect and apply to all travellers regardless of any destination,” the department said in a statement Thursday.
Officials explained that these new measures are in response to the Omicron strain, which has been declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization.
The new strain was first identified by scientists in South Africa and Botswana, who alerted the world about the variant on 23 Nov. Since it was detected in southern Africa, the variant has been found in more than 20 other countries in Europe, North and South America and Asia.
As of Thursday, 1 Dec., no cases of Omicron had been detected in Cayman.
Currently, anyone travelling to the Cayman Islands is required to produce a negative PCR test, taken within three days of departure. They then must take a lateral flow test at a medical facility two, five and 10 days after landing. All positive cases are reported to Public Health.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams said in the Public Health statement that COVID-positive travellers, their household members and primary contacts will be required to wear wristbands.
“The objective of these new measures is to protect our residents should the strain reach the Cayman Islands. This will also allow us to more easily detect and manage any cases,” he said.
However, in cases where an incoming traveller is found to be “most likely infected with a strain other than the Omicron variant”, that person’s household members and contacts who continue to test negative on daily certified lateral flow tests will be permitted to leave isolation, Public Health stated.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee told the Compass on Thursday that Public Health will carry out a PCR test on any traveller with a positive lateral flow test result to determine if that person has the Omicron strain.
He said the Health Services Authority can detect the new variant in standard open platform PCR tests, which show if there is a “negative in the S-gene location”.
The Omicron strain, unlike the Delta variant, is missing the S-gene, so if a positive COVID test result does not show an S-gene, it is likely that this result is the Omicron variant.
The original Alpha variant did have a S-gene, but Lee said, “Because there is not much Alpha around (most everything being Delta), we will know if we see that pattern that it’s Omicron – it is a surrogate test for Omicron that is quick.”
He added that genomic sequencing will confirm the strain, but the UK Health Security Agency has advised him that the S-gene drop-out is currently a very strong indication that someone has Omicron.
Additional reporting by James Whittaker
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Bye Bye tourism.
Hello, cancellations of current bookings for the holidays.
Farewell to major air carriers returning on previously said dates.
There goes what was left of the holiday tourist season. Foolish.
Once again, knee-jerk reactions with draconian regulations.
Here’s a question for Premier Panton and Dr. Lee: What happens when a vaccinated tourist has a negative lateral flow test on day-2, but then has a positive one on day-5? According to the information in the first paragraph of this article:
primary contacts of travelers who test positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Cayman are now required to isolate for at least 14 days and take a PCR test,
are the employees of the hotel who came in contact with him/her, and are therefore “primary contacts,” going to be required to isolate for at least 14 days? Where does all this business of isolation end?
Cancelled our trip for next week. Remember Cayman you are living with COVID on island now , not the same as when u had no COVID.