By Victor Omondi
Owing to the ongoing pandemic, Bahamas has officially closed its border to American tourists. In a public address on Sunday, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis announced that due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the U.S., Bahamas officials had decided to block international commercial flights and vessels ferrying passengers from the U.S.
The order is effective Wednesday, July 22, Midnight.
“Many priorities must be balanced, be they health, social and economic. Chief amongst these though is the health. We cannot risk the death of Bahamians and our residents. We must be resolved in our collective willingness to save lives,” Minnis said.
Additionally, the country stopped all outgoing Bahamasair airline flights to the U.S., effective immediately. The Bahamas will resume international flights to America to take care of visitors planning to go back to the United States after Wednesday, July 22.
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Visitors from Canada and the United Kingdom are still allowed to make trips to the country. However, they’re required to have a negative COVID-19 test result to enter the country to avoid being subjected to a mandated 14-day quarantine. This also applies to Bahamians and residents returning to the country.
Also, the immigration office will only accept tests from an accredited lab.
For Bahamians and residents returning to the country and haven’t tested positive for Covid-19 before returning, they’ll be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return. It will be monitored through Hubbcat Monitoring App. Those who don’t agree to be monitored through the app will be quarantined at a government facility at their own expense.
Before the announcement, one of the most popular resorts in Bahamas, Atlantis Paradise Island, said it would extend closure due to the pandemic.
“We have made the difficult decision to extend Atlantis’s closure, prioritizing the health and safety of our team, our guests, and our community first,” Audrey Oswell, President and Managing Director of Atlantis, said in a statement.
Source: The Bahamas Bans American Travelers Due To Covid-19 Concerns
