TORONTO — St. Vincent and the Grenadines is making it mandatory for all travellers to have a negative PCR COVID-19 test result as part of new interim entry protocols.

The new protocols, launched as phase #5 of the destination’s reopening plan, were announced in response to the increase of COVID-19 cases in the United States as well as in anticipation of potential mass gatherings in destination ahead of the upcoming local election.

The interim phase #5, which runs from Oct. 25 to Nov. 10, 2020, mandates that all travellers to the destination – with the exception of those arriving from Barbados – must arrive with a negative SARS-COV-2 RT-PCR COVID-19 test result no more than five days prior to arrival.

Travellers will then be retested upon arrival with a RT-PCR test and be required to complete a mandatory five-day quarantine in a tourism authority/MOHWE-approved hotel at their own cost. They will then be retested between day four and five of quarantine and they may be required to quarantine up to 16 days in an approved home or hotel at the discretion of the Port Health Officer.

All travellers are required to monitor their temperatures for the next 14 days and report any elevations to the local health authority.

All travellers with a positive COVID-19 PCR test result will be isolated in an approved accommodation/facility for the next 14 days at their own expense.

For a full list of approved accommodations click here.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines never officially shut its borders to tourists and remains open for business. The destination has just four active cases thanks to strict measures as those outlined above.

Air Canada currently operates a weekly nonstop Thursday flight to St. Vincent and the Grenadines from Toronto.

For more information go to http://www.health.gov.vc/health/.

For more reopening updates from other destinations go to https://www.travelweek.ca/news/destinations-reopening-list-2/.