New home quarantine policy introduced for COVID-19

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has implemented a new policy, which allows home quarantine for passengers arriving on flights which originated in countries classified as low risk for COVID-19 cases.

The policy went into effect yesterday afternoon with the arrival of 15 passengers on Caribbean Airlines, comprising mostly students from the Mona, Jamaica and St Augustine, Trinidad campuses of the University of the West Indies.

Immediately on arrival, the passengers were swabbed, interviewed and informed of the requirements for home quarantine, which include confinement to their residences and daily monitoring for symptoms by public health officers for 14 days.

The new policy currently applies to people whose flights originate in parts of the Caribbean and other similar low risk countries of origin.

Home quarantine is also allowed on a case-by-case basis for passengers with medical conditions or family situations which cannot be accommodated at the state-run facilities.

All other arriving passengers are required to quarantine at a state-managed facility, or a designated hotel at their own expense. (BGIS)