Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
TOURISM, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper says the government is currently not considering making COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for foreigners seeking entry to The Bahamas, noting current travel protocols are working just fine.
Mr Cooper spoke after a new travel policy requiring all foreign nationals flying into the United States, with limited exceptions, to be fully inoculated against COVID-19 and show proof of a negative COVID-19 test came into force on Monday.
According to the policy, foreign travellers must also show proof of vaccination before boarding a plane.
Asked if the Davis administration was considering adopting similar rules on vaccinations, the minister said: “That is not a consideration at this time. We have the protocols in terms of testing (that) we already have in place. We’re very comfortable with the protocols we have. This has been effective in managing this spread and the arrival of new strains of COVID.
“We’re going to continue as we’re going. The tourism industry generally applauds what we’re doing in terms of our border protocols. There’s no need to change them at this stage.”
Currently, all people, including children aged two and older, are required to present a travel health visa and produce a negative PCR test no older than five days prior to travel to The Bahamas.
However, fully vaccinated travellers have the option of taking a rapid antigen test instead of the PCR if they so choose.
Mr Cooper said while there are no plans to add additional travel changes beyond what’s outlined in the 2021 Health Services Rules, he cannot ignore that the new US travel requirement has reaped great benefits for The Bahamas, particularly relating to the nation’s vaccination rates.
“Interestingly, that has been positive for our country,” Mr Cooper said. “Firstly, as a result of it coming and Bahamians being aware that it was coming, we saw an uptick in terms of vaccination. So many persons who were hesitant ordinarily who would like to travel to Florida considered it as a last-ditch effort to get vaccinated to be able to travel to Florida.
“I am delighted that people are considering that as positive for their health in addition to giving them the latitude to be able to travel freely. I would also say interestingly that that has been very good for tourism and the uptick in vaccinations to the tune of almost 150,000 persons fully vaccinated is good for tourism because our study and our research shows that our tourists prefer destinations where there is a high vaccination level so this is positive all around for us.”
“It’s positive for tourism, it’s positive for our country and the science is that the best methodology we have in terms of managing COVID is vaccinations so it’s a positive all around,” Mr Cooper also said.
Mr Cooper also revealed that The Bahamas was “rebounding faster than the Caribbean”, with tourism arrivals for the holiday period also expected to be very strong.
According to the government’s latest vaccine tracker, 136,238 people are fully vaccinated in the country, while 138,073 people have received one dose of a vaccine, excluding Johnson &Johnson vaccine.
Comments
Bigrocks 2 years, 12 months ago
So, if they come to Bahamas and then to USA, they cannot leave to go to or back to usa as they have to be fully vacineated?
FrustratedBusinessman 2 years, 12 months ago
The mandate does not apply to US citizens or permanent residents.
realfreethinker 2 years, 12 months ago
This the same people while in opposition said the gov was putting Bahamians at risk by not requiring foreigners be vaccinated. Now that they are the gov all is well with the health visa. Like they say "the more things change the more they remain the same"
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
Our policy with respect to air arrival tourists visiting and residents returning to the Bahamas sensibly recognises the rapidly waning efficacy of the Wuhan virus vaccinations.
On the other hand, the current US policy requiring all foreigners travelling to the US by air be vaccinated to gain entry into the US is simply more 'out to lunch' nonsense by the very sinister and evil forces that now fully control the 'Biden in name only' presidency.
The current US policy for air arrivals is discriminatory on many fronts, the main one being nationality. Only non-US citizens and not US citizens will need to show proof of vaccination to gain entry to the US by air travel. And the vaccination requirement does not seem to apply to travellers seeking to gain entry to the US by land or sea.
Dawes 2 years, 12 months ago
And yet they are basically mandating that you need to be vaccinated for Bahamians. All the new health law talks about is you must be vaccinated to do anything.
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
The Davis administration should immediately do away with all manadatory PCR testing requirements for children under age 12. It's frankly cruel and inhumane to subject young asymptomatic children, who are known not to pose any significant spreader risk, to these types of most uncomfortable, painful and frightening tests.
joeblow 2 years, 12 months ago
... agreed!
M0J0 2 years, 12 months ago
Yup it is only on air travel by sea there are no restrictions.
TalRussell 2 years, 12 months ago
Let me be frank, it doesn't change a damn thing whether it's a Dionisio D'aguilar or Chester Cooper in charge of The Colony's tourism portfolio, youse is to be popoulaces challenged for inviting unvaccinated persons to be mixing amongst the popoulaces.
Comrade Minister, youse is knowingly risking the very health of a popoulaces and everything else like this and that by youse making political decisions over best health interest, something your government said it would never play politics with the popoulaces health, as youse accused the previous government of, ― Yes?
quavaduff 2 years, 12 months ago
The longer you ignore the fire (Covid) the more the damage .... the only hope for tourism's rebound is to irradicate the virus and that requires all to be vaccinated. I will not return to the Bahamas until that happens at a much higher level. I don't mingle with infected and potentially infected peoples. That could have deadly consequences
TalRussell 2 years, 12 months ago
So right are you, Comrade Quava, the very second youse post mentioned, fire, I thought if youse do you know who's listening-in on that kinds conversation, its Satan? ― He's always looking for a way of dragging honest-hearted, meaning to do good people, away from they's upbringing, ― Don't you think, ― Yes?
tribanon 2 years, 12 months ago
I suspect you also don't mingle with too many black people. LOL
quavaduff 2 years, 11 months ago
You suspect incorrectly. I mingle with smart vaccinated black people hourly. Just not the internet ignorant who defy science. Please people, get your vaccine and mask up. Haven't we all seen too many die from this virus.
tribanon 2 years, 11 months ago
ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz.......
carltonr61 2 years, 12 months ago
You sound like fouchee, the puppy beagle slayer.
Dawes 2 years, 11 months ago
But Vaccinated spread it to? Also i take it you sit at home all day on your own, as anyone is potentially infected. What a boring life you must lead.
quavaduff 2 years, 11 months ago
Call it what you like .... I still lead a life as oppose to the millions who have died from covid.
tribanon 2 years, 11 months ago
Some of us appreciate the significance of the well known statement:
"Give me liberty, or give me death!"
You obviously don't.
ohdrap4 2 years, 11 months ago
It is not that bad. Tribanon and I deaded and we can still post from heaven.
User1234 2 years, 11 months ago
it can't be eradicated, it becomes/is becoming endemic, like every other coronavirus before. the rest of your comment makes no sense...yes vaccinate, but that doesn't prevent infection or spreading. it limits the likelihood of serious disease.
bahamianson 2 years, 11 months ago
politics is a stiking , flithy game. The PLP criticized the FNM for letting tourists come in unvaccinated , now they are doing the same thing. It is a waste of time voting for these PLP and FNM politicians.
tribanon 2 years, 11 months ago
I hope you're not just learning that now!
User1234 2 years, 11 months ago
but if you have a negative test then what's the issue?
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