Delay in COVID-19 test results worries visitors

As flights to Barbados increase so too is the delay in the return of COVID-19 test results and it is now creating angst among holidaymakers who say they are in limbo and are made to fork out more money to pay for extended time in quarantine.

Some of them who reached out to Barbados TODAY have complained about waiting 72 hours or more to get back results that they have been promised would be available within 24 hours.

Aisha Selman-Jordan arrived in Barbados from the UK on Wednesday, September 1, fully vaccinated and with a negative PCR test, hoping that she would be out of quarantine within two days.

However, to her horror, it was not until Sunday that she left quarantine after finding out through someone at the hotel that she was free to leave.

“The lack of communication regarding the delay was disheartening,” she said.

“Many have expressed fears of the costs and boredom of being stuck in a hotel room. Luckily, I was allowed out of my room and around the hotel grounds. It was on one of my walks around the hotel that I found out my release from quarantine was allowed. The Ministry of Health contacted the hotel in the morning around 10,” she told Barbados TODAY on Sunday afternoon.

Questioning whether people who experienced delays would receive some sort of compensation, she said she was concerned that officials were not communicating with the waiting travellers nor giving any reason for the delays.

Selman-Jordan, who is on the island until September 28, said while she would still have some time to enjoy what was left of her vacation, some of the others who came on a two-week vacation were not able to say the same.

“This kind of chaos is what puts people off coming to the island,” she said.

Pointing to the need for greater transparency, she suggested that authorities employ more people to meet the demands as visitor arrivals increase.

“Not everyone will have that luxury of family and friends to help them with food. More communication and transparency is needed so people can prepare if they want or need to travel. Some people are coming for funerals and do not want to miss the funeral because they are in an unexpected results delay,” she explained.

About a month ago officials promised improvements as flights started to increase and a number of guests complained bitterly to Barbados TODAY about the delays.

When asked about the situation then, Minister of Health and Wellness Lt. Colonel Jeffrey Bostic told Barbados TODAY the delays were as a result of “technical issues”.

In addition to some issues with entering information on the SHAPE App, which manages the vaccination and testing data, Bostic said “The delays had to do with some technical issues that we’ve had even within the airport itself and where the persons operate. We have had to get some upgrades from the provider to be able to get more bandwidth.”

One man, who came to Barbados last Thursday with this wife, told Barbados TODAY while they intended to enjoy what was left of their vacation, they were not pleased to be “left in limbo in quarantine” with no idea when they would be allowed out.

The man, who did not want to be identified, said he and his wife came with negative PCR tests and were still awaiting their COVID-19 results.

“The hope for 24-hour turnaround for test results was all calculated into our trip. Not so, the already four days endured in quarantine, and no sign or information as to when we may expect the results. For those on a one-week holiday, a total catastrophe!” he said.

Making it clear that it was not a matter of visitors seeking preferential treatment, he said: “We simply seek clarity. Even an update and expected return of test results linked to arrival dates would be helpful on the government’s website or the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. website. At present we’re left in limbo in quarantine”.

Last month, Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) Geoffrey Roach suggested that officials plan for worst-case scenarios as much as possible, to avoid delays.

Roach had told Barbados TODAY he believed as officials pay attention to keeping COVID-19 numbers down that they are careful not to diminish the tourism experience because of “what we do or what we implement”.

Over the past week, locals have also been expressing frustration at the delays in getting back their COVID-19 test results.

In a notice last Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Wellness said those delays were as a result of the significant increase in the number of persons presenting themselves for COVID-19 tests, due to contact tracing. (marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb)