By Chantalé Fletcher
PASSENGERS from all countries will be allowed entry into Trinidad and Tobago on the re-opening of borders on July 17, once they fall into three stipulated categories.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram revealed this at a press conference held by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s on Saturday.
Dr Parasram said, “A person is considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the final dose or doses of a vaccine.”
The CMO highlighted the three categories:
Category 1: Unvaccinated individuals
This will apply to nationals only, where a PCR test will be required 72 hours before arrival which will be validated by the airline. Immediately after arrival this person must go into state-supervised quarantine for 14 days and medical assessment within 24 hours of arrival.
In addition, there will be daily monitoring and a Covid-19 test done on seventh day. Asymptomatic passengers who test negative are allowed to go home, after the quarantine period.
However, Dr Parasram said, “Passengers who test positive are immediately transferred into the parallel healthcare system based on the acuity of the disease at that point in time.”
Category 2: Returning passengers requiring medical attention
These passengers whether coming by air ambulance or becoming critically ill, while at quarantine site will be allowed to go to any quarantine hospital for care.
He added these are non-Covid-19 positive patients.
Category 3: Fully vaccinated passengers
These persons will require a PCR test 72 hours before arrival, proof of a vaccine which is WHO approved and no quarantine required.
Category 4: Children
Unvaccinated children travelling with a vaccinated parent or guardian will be allowed home with the following:
A PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival with a repeat of PCR tests conducted between days three and five of arriving into the country.
However, he added that, if persons are found positive at that time, they will be isolated and contact tracing will begin where the information will be sent to the office of the County Medical of Health office at various districts.
The CMO said, “Any unvaccinated adult travelling with a child will be required to State-supervised quarantined. And unvaccinated children traveling without a vaccinated parent and guardian will also go to State-supervised quarantine.”
Please advise, the vaccinated individuals who go straight home, no state supervised quarantine are they on home quarantine?
If they are in planes with non vaccinated people, and traveling through global airports, who is to say they did not catch COVID after the 72hr PCR test, and now asymptomatic, since they are vaccinated and won’t have severe case.
There should be at least a seven days home isolation or something for this category of people.