Government issued new COVID-19 travel regulations on Saturday, 11 Dec., which will reduce the COVID-19 testing window for arriving passengers from 72 hours to no earlier than the day before departure.
The new rule will apply to unvaccinated and vaccinated persons aged 5 and older.
For travel from Grand Cayman to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, a COVID-19 test is not required if an approved vaccine course has been completed at least 14 days prior to the date of travel, and the traveler is not showing any respiratory symptoms or symptoms of the virus. The rule will apply to people 5 years of age and older.
But where an approved vaccine course was not completed at least 14 days prior to travel, a test will be required to be conducted no earlier than the day prior to departure to Brac or Little Cayman.
The amended regulations will take effect on 17 Dec.
The updated regulations define departure as any connecting flights or transit flights to the Islands, where the layover between flights is less than 12 hours.
In addition, the changes, published in the Cayman Islands Gazette, expand the types of tests that are accepted from PCR tests to certified rapid antigen, also known as lateral flow tests.
To be deemed certified, such tests must have a sensitivity of at least 80%, a specificity of at least 97%, and be recommended or approved by a national public health agency of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica or Canada.
The test result must also show the name and address of the approved laboratory or registered provider where the test was provided.
The measures are a response to the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, which has been deemed a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation.
As of Friday, the total number of active cases is Cayman declined marginally to 3,448.
The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital fell to 14.
Related Videos
Will the people arriving on the cruise ship later this month be required to have a negative covid test one day before disembarking from the ship? Just wondering? And if not then why are the rules different for visitors arriving by air?
So in other words, you are shutting down to tourists! No one can get a PCR test results back the same day. Every place in America, where almost all of your tourists come from, takes 1-2 days MINIMUM to process a PCR test.
Major fail
Exactly, John. For all intents and purposes the island is closed.
They don’t want anyone there actually. Let them starve! Without tourists they will! They have no unemployment there so if they aren’t working they have to use their own pension money to survive, so then wait till that runs dry, there will be famine their! Who cares. There are plenty of other islands with beautiful white beaches where you get welcomed and don’t need a vaccine or get a 24 hr test. Most places it’s just the airline wanting the test not the island. Their beach is gone anyway.wait until they see what that shot does to them all within the next “2” years. Then they’ll feel so foolish. 💉= ⚰️
Thankfully it does say above “In addition, the changes, published in the Cayman Islands Gazette, expand the types of tests that are accepted from PCR tests to certified rapid antigen, also known as lateral flow tests.” So that’s something. The 10 day test when you’re back in Cayman though continues to be so ill-thought out. You’re more likely to have picked up Covid after arriving in Cayman than bringing it in from abroad these days.
John they are allowing the Rapid Test.
John C,
Did you read where it says.
In addition, the changes, published in the Cayman Islands Gazette, expand the types of tests that are accepted from PCR tests to certified rapid antigen, also known as lateral flow tests.
Please stop changing the rules. We have already had to cancel 3 trips and now you have to be tested and get the results the same day the day before you travel. I don’t think that is even possible. Then we will have to be retested day 2, 5, 10, and 2 days before we return to the States. Sounds like a Really Fun Holliday.
Glad they are opening it up to antigen tests. About time.
I think the whole cruise ship should be tested before being allowed on shore. Rapid test all of them. Bet you find at least 20 positives.
You actually don’t want people from the USA to come. The only type of test we can get back in that time frame is a rapid test which is not accepted to enter the Grand Cayman. Yes, the USA is making you get a COVID test 24 hours before you return back to the USA but they are accepting practically any test (yes, the flow test is accepted to get back to the USA). We do not have flow test in the USA,(we have a rapid PCR) I really feel sorry for the tourism industry, especially the restaurant business, I don’t think a lot of businesses that rely on tourism will survive. We might have to cancel our trip really disappointed on what is going on. Oh by the way we are not having any major issues with COVID in NJ when is everyone going to understand that we are going to have to deal with COVID for the next decade.
Just to clarify as stated in the article they are accepting rapid antigen tests.
“In addition, the changes, published in the Cayman Islands Gazette, expand the types of tests that are accepted from PCR tests to certified rapid antigen, also known as lateral flow tests.”
“To be deemed certified, such tests must have a sensitivity of at least 80%, a specificity of at least 97%, and be recommended or approved by a national public health agency of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica or Canada.”
It is ridiculous. Who is going to go through all that trouble to meet those standards when there are islands just as nice that don’t force you to do all that and have a 72 hour window? Clearly the people in charge are not serious about allowing tourists back.
You must be (ing) kidding?
Just when you thought there was an adult in the room.
Can’t you just hear all the cancelations now? A PCR test runs about $50; a rapid PCR test averages at LEAST $200 so add another $400+ trying to get to Cayman.
This aside I have not heard of one single person who contracted Omicron ever being admitted to a hospital.
And with what now nearly 90% of the island vaccinated based on the “NEW” population figures.
Again the paranoia is off the chart. Tourism should be 40% next year? Try again. Dream on.
You nailed it David! Pure fear as they crush tourism for no reason
Nothing like guarding against a variant that causes muscle aches and tiredness, but nothing more serious.
Didn’t any Cabinet member take 15 common sense minutes to carefully read the amended regulations and realize some big flaws?
Here are 3 obvious serious problems created by these new regulations.
1. Rules apply to flight travellers but no similar requirement for boats transiting among Cayman Islands or for cruise ships which are well-known covid incubators? Why such discrimination favoring the more likely travellers?
2. A definition will cause unintended additional harm on travellers who suffer cancelled flights, missed flight connections, or delayed flight connections of 12 hours or more?
Cayman Compass article says: “The updated regulations define departure as any connecting flights or transit flights to the Islands, where the layover between flights is less than 12 hours.” which isn’t quite what the definition says and also doesn’t mention such likely harmful scenarios.
The regulatory definition actually says: “(4) For the purposes of these Regulations, a reference to “departure” or “departure of the person’s flight to the Islands” includes the departure of any connecting flights or transit flights for the purposes of the journey to the Islands, where the duration of the layover between those flights does not exceed twelve hours.”
The potential harms could easily have been avoided by simply changing ‘where the duration’ to ‘where the scheduled duration’.
3. Does any “health care provider” or “registered testing provider” in all the listed countries that actually exist and currently are able to intake the approved test methods and issue a “medical certificate” certifying the test results BEFORE the next day’s morning when many flights to CI start? Must these certifications be “securely verifiable” too? If CI government knows of such providers, would help if they be publicly identified for every listed country. There’s only about 2-3 days to make this information available for travellers starting their trips on 17 December! If unable to provide such information, enforcement of the regulation should be delayed to avoid cancellation of many traveller’s already scheduled reservations to and in Cayman.
Anther stupid rule by a government that has no clue. If you have a test the day before you come why do you need a test on the 2nd and 5th day also
Let’s look at the leading testers in the United States
CVS: “Lab test (PCR/ NAAT) Results within 1-2 days – High demand at the labs can lead to delays in turnaround times.”
Walgreens: Diagnostic Lab Test (PCR)
RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel Test
Most turnaround times within 72 hours
Lab Corp (the largest testing lab in the US): Average delivery of result is 1-3 days
So if you cut the time down to 24 hours few Americans can come visit.
If you want to close to tourism just say so then I can change my reservations to other islands. I am already booked for 2 stays of over a week but unless this rule is changed TCI will look good to me.
That finalizes it. No usual three month Cayman stay this winter!
Time to cut the crap and tell us when unvaccinated children will be allowed in. We want a date! Stop playing with the goal posts. Until unvacinated children are allowed in nothing matters. GIVE US A DATE!!! Even if it’s December next year we need to know a plan. You have had enough time to sit and wait. Open cayman for real!
I agree 100 percent! This is crazy, Cayman is supposed to be a family place!! Children are not a threat!! They need to get a grip on reality and open up to families!! PLEASE!!
I agree 100 percent! This is crazy, Cayman is supposed to be a family place!!
The required test is antigen test. Same as lateral flow test. Results usually available in 15 minutes. Less expensive than PCR test.
Why is no one acknowledging that a rapid antigen test (returned in hours, not days, offered by US testing centers like CVS) is now acceptable to enter.
For example, the rapid antigen test used by CVS is LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Antigen (Ag). The clinical efficacy of this test is 97.6% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity, meeting their certification requirements.
Is testing a day prior a legitimate concern or are people enjoying bashing and complaining? In my mind they saved individuals $70pp by allowing for a cheaper test and simpler alternative than the headache of a PCR.
What am I missing?
Eli your numbers are off the CIG says:
“which has a sensitivity of at least 80 per cent and a specificity of at least 97 per cent”
The CVS specificity is off by .4%
We all need a PHD to get to Cayman!
I spoke with Travel Cayman (government entity) and they confirmed the 96.6% specificity test is fine. You will not be turned away
Serious defect #4 – Must receive negative certificate before flight departure to CI for a test performed “no earlier than the day prior to the departure”.
An illusion of tighter protection but impossible for many, if not most or all, travellers with early morning departures or multiple flights.
Cayman Kind ? ? ?
Why does Explorecayman website still state? Very misleading considering the new law!
Please Note: When checking-in for a flight to the Cayman Islands, all passengers must present their:
1. travel authorisation certificate issued by Travel Cayman
2. their negative PCR test result, taken 72 hours before departure
3. passport and any other standard documents required for travel
This is draconian. And what’s next? In flight testing requirement?
We just cancelled our 15 person, all vaccinated, trip in February. And booked a beautiful Grace Bay beach villa in Turks & Caicos.
Cayman is supposed to be a family place and I cant even bring my grand baby to Cayman! I seriously doubt a 6 month old baby is going to bring any form of Covid to Cayman that isn’t already there!!