In the latest change to COVID-19 regulations, the government has removed a requirement to quarantine for vaccinated travellers arriving from countries with less than a 60% vaccination rate or whose vaccinations cannot be securely verified.
The new amendments also allow unvaccinated children under 12, travelling unaccompanied, who are Caymanian, resident or have close ties to Cayman, to visit the islands if they plan to reside in a place with vaccinated occupants.
Restrictions on visits by unvaccinated tourists, including unaccompanied unvaccinated children, remain in place.
Previously, people travelling from countries with first-dose vaccination rates lower than 60%; vaccinated travellers whose vaccination certificates could not be securely verified; and unvaccinated unaccompanied children under the age of 12 visiting residents in Cayman were required to quarantine, but those restrictions were lifted today, 8 April.
Also, the government will no longer pay for quarantine for residents in government facilities, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Until today, government had been paying for quarantine facilities for returning students; those travelling on government business or representing Cayman in a sporting event as part of a national team; individuals travelling overseas for medical services; and parents and guardians who had accompanied a child to school or college, to a sporting event or to obtain medical services overseas.
What travellers need to provide
According to the statement from the ministry outlining the change to the regulations, incoming vaccinated individuals are still required to carry out a number of steps before they can come to Cayman, including:
- Produce a negative pre-arrival COVID certified antigen or PCR test taken no earlier than a day before the departure of a flight to Cayman;
- Complete a medical and travel questionnaire, and undergo a medical examination if a Customs and Border Control officer considers it necessary;
- Complete and submit a travel declaration from Travel Cayman no less than 72 hours prior to departing.
The only unvaccinated individuals allowed to travel to Cayman are Caymanians or residents; people with close ties to the islands; or a child travelling with an accompanying vaccinated person. Those individuals, including children age 5 or over, are required to provide a negative COVID test taken within a day of departing for Cayman, and to complete and submit a travel request to Travel Cayman no less than five days before coming to the islands.
In its statement, the ministry said, “The changes are expected to increase airline and visitor traffic at Owen Roberts International Airport by supporting more family travel this summer. This relaxation change means an unaccompanied unvaccinated child (under the age of 12 years) – who is a Caymanian, resident, or person with close ties – will not be required to quarantine on arrival in the Islands if they intend to reside at a place where all other occupants, 12 years and over, are vaccinated.”
Minister of Health and Wellness Sabrina Turner, in the statement, said, “As we welcome the relaxation of additional travel restrictions, we cannot disregard how much compliance with COVID-19 regulations has contributed to us arriving to this juncture. With more persons arriving to our shores daily, I urge the public to remain aware by getting their COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters and following public health guidelines to prevent infection.”
The updated regulations are scheduled to expire on 31 May 2022.
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When will the government acknowledge that the disease is endemic and it is now time for individuals to exercise personal responsibility and to finally abolish all mask mandates. The heavy hand of the Cayman government with respect to Covid policies now has few parallels in the world outside of communist China.
Dump the Certificate to Travel, everything is checked at check in on your arrival flight . Where else does a person need a certificate to return to their own country?
“The only unvaccinated individuals allowed to travel to Cayman are Caymanians or residents; people with close ties to the islands…”. Can anyone define who qualifies as “people with close ties to the island?” Does this include property owners?
This is ridiculous. Government needs to drop all requirements. We have been in this bubble for over two years and its far too long. We now have cruise ships arriving daily and cruise ship passengers disembarking and none of these passengers requires a certified antigen or pcr test at least 24 hours before stepping on Cayman soil. So why the difference? With over 80% of the population vaccinated did we not achieve herd immunity? Fewer and fewer people are in the hospital with Covid, and the small number of people who died with Covid were unvaccinated and had underlying conditions. People who have had Covid say the symptoms were mild, similar to the common cold and mild flu. BTW what happened to the common cold and flu? Wake up Government, we have have an endemic not a pandemic. Our economy has suffered enough. Its time to open.