There’s no set global pattern as to how to handle the COVID-9 pandemic. The one constant is that corporations and businesses (not the least travel and tourism) are, not surprisingly, pushing governments to get countries open as quickly as possible. Restrictions and regulations regarding social distancing, temperature checks, masks and quarantines are elastic, nonetheless, summer is here and the season is cautiously opening. Here are a few examples.
Jamaica
Jamaica reopens its borders for international travellers today, June 15. An extensive set of operational protocols were announced, including health screening before entry and upon entry, which will be implemented to manage risks to workers, communities and travellers. All visitors will be screened via thermal temperature checks and symptom observation. If a temperature is elevated, the visitor will be subject to additional screening, including testing, if needed. Any visitor who exhibits symptoms or is ill will be subject to quarantine.
As the nation’s largest economic engine, Jamaica’s tourist industry employs 130,000 workers, and impacts an additional 120,000 jobs from other industries (water, agriculture, power, among others), fuelling more than one third of the country’s economy.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of our local economy, and with the help of international experts and a dedicated task force, we have developed protocols that allow us to safely reopen our borders,” said Donovan White, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. “We are confident that as we restart our economy, Jamaicans will work together to ensure a safe, secure and seamless experience for our tourism workers, their families, and visitors, while preserving the authentic experiences travellers seek when they visit our shores.”
Jamaica’s health and safety protocols will be revisited every two weeks, which is consistent with the government’s approach of evaluating the COVID-19 global situation. As more is discovered about the virus including medical advancements or as the risk profile changes, Jamaica will make any necessary and appropriate revision to the protocols.
For more information on Jamaica’s Health and Safety Protocols, visit www.jtbonline.org.
Bermuda
The Bermuda government has announced the island will resume international commercial air service for visitors starting July 1, as part of its fourth phase of economic reopening after successful management of COVID-19 to date.
Bermuda’s Minister of Tourism & Transport Zane DeSilva delivered the first details of Bermuda’s plan to safely welcome back international air visitors. “As we work to finalize the protocols and requirements for travel to Bermuda, rest assured, we will always place the safety of our island and its people above all else.”
Bermuda’s reopening plan features five stages of visitors travelling to and from Bermuda including: 1) pre- departure; 2) in-flight; 3) upon arrival; 4) on-island and 5) returning home. Government officials are working to finalize a policy that will enable travellers who test negative 72 hours in advance and who also test negative upon arrival in Bermuda to have freedom of movement to enjoy the island’s experiences, adhering to local health guidelines in place at the time of visit.
The re-opening reflects Bermuda’s success in managing the impact of the pandemic, with a high volume of testing and contact tracing following lockdown and shelter-at-home measures.
The island has:
• the world’s 12th-highest rate of testing per capita
• 11 consecutive days of no new cases of COVID-19 as of June 11
• five currently active cases, none of which are critical
More information on Bermuda’s reopening plan and timeline can be found at https://www.gotobermuda.com/bta/press-release/bermuda-tourism-authority-update
France
France is opening its borders with other European countries today for the first time since shutting them amid virus fears three months ago, and will start opening up to visitors from other continents July 1. It’s among several European countries opening borders first thing Monday – though it’s not clear how many Europeans are ready to travel again.
The French government has urged fellow EU members to co-ordinate their border rules, and is sticking to calendar recommendations from the European Commission last week.
“Given the favourable evolution of the health situation in France and in Europe,” the French government said in a statement it’s opening its borders to all arrivals from the EU and countries in the border-free Schengen zone Monday.
People arriving from inside Europe won’t need to undergo quarantine. But France will apply different rules to visitors from Spain and Britain because those countries established different reopening schedules.
France will gradually allow visitors from outside Europe starting July 1, based on the virus situation in countries of origin. The French government promised to ease entry for foreign students in particular ahead of the new academic year.
Britain
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a review of the government’s two-meter (6.5-feet) social distancing rule, saying the falling number of coronavirus cases gives the government “more margin for manoeuvre” in easing the guideline.
Johnson said that “probably” fewer than one in 1,000 people now have the virus, and the chance of coming in contact with someone who’s infected are increasingly remote.
Treasury chief Rishi Sunak said that officials will be drawing on advice on the issue from economists as well as the government’s scientific and medical advisers. Conservative lawmakers and businesses have been putting increasing pressure on the government to ease the two-metre rule, arguing that it will make it extremely difficult for many pubs and restaurants to operate.
They say that the government in the UK can follow other countries and ask people to socially distance at one meter or 1.5. (3.3ft to -5ft)
Greece
Today Greece is opening a second airport to international traffic, in Thessaloniki, the country’s second-largest city, part of an attempt to ease into the tourist season. Depending on the country of origin, arriving passengers will either be tested at random or will follow the existing protocol, which mandates that all aboard an arriving flight be tested.
Flights will be allowed only from European Union countries, at least until June 30. But while routes from France, Italy and the Netherlands to Athens will resume Monday, the ban remains in Thessaloniki. Land travel with Bulgaria, the only neighbouring country that is also an EU member, will be permitted from Monday.
Greece’s museums reopen Monday, after a three-month shutdown. Masks, social distancing and limits to groups will be enforced.
Turkey
Turkey is “moving away from the target,” the country’s health minister warned Sunday as the daily number of new coronavirus cases rose above 1,500 following the relaxation of restrictions. At the start of June, the government authorized cafes, restaurants, gyms, parks, beaches and museums to reopen and eased stay-at-home orders for the elderly and young.
A weekend curfew that was due to be implemented last week was cancelled, ending the series of part-time lockdowns in place since April. People have also been asked to switch to a period of “controlled social life” from Monday to halt the rise in cases.
Egypt
Egypt says it will resume international flights starting July 1 with countries that will open its airports. All of the country’s airports will be reopened allowing travellers around the world to return to parts of the country less hard-hit by the coronavirus. Antiquities and Tourism Minister Khaled el-Anany also says the government will open three provinces to tourists starting July 1.
Those include the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula, home to the major resort and beach destination of Sharm el Sheikh, the Red Sea resort areas of Hurghada and Marsa Alam, as well as Marsa Matrouh, on the Mediterranean coast.
The government hopes to draw tourists to popular yet remote attractions that have been spared the ravages of the virus. The decision comes even as the pandemic surges in the Arab world’s most populous country, which has at least 1,484 deaths among 42,980 confirmed cases.
Spain
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says Spain will open its borders to travellers from Europe’s Schengen travel areas except Portugal on June 21, moving up the original date by 10 days. Spain will drop its requirement for people arriving from abroad to stay in quarantine, either at home or in a hotel, for 14 days on arrival, when it reopens on that day.
Sanchez said Sunday that Spain and Portugal will keep their border closed to non-essential crossings until July 1.
Spain’s government had already announced that on June 21 it will end the nation’s state of emergency to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. From then on, Spaniards will be able to move freely around the country without restrictions, but face masks will remain obligatory in public transport and crowded spaces.
On Monday, Spain’s Balearic Islands test their reopening strategy by accepting the first flights from Germany of tourists who will be exempt from a quarantine. The islands plan to welcome up to 10,900 Germans during the trial.
Cruise workers
More than 40,000 cruise ship workers are still stuck at sea because of concerns about the coronavirus. The Miami Herald reports that at least 42,000 workers remain trapped on cruise ships without paychecks, and some still are suffering from COVID-19, three months after the industry shut down.
Cruise lines stopped sailing in mid-March after several high-profile outbreaks at sea. In just one example, more than 600 people fell ill aboard Carnival Corp.’s Diamond Princess while it was quarantined off Japan. Fourteen passengers died.
The US Centers for Disease Control has prohibited cruises in US waters through July 24.
Some cruise ship workers have started being repatriated to their home countries.
About 3,000 Carnival Cruise Line workers got off in Croatia earlier this month to catch rides and flights home across Europe. MSC Cruises has flown more than 1,000 Indian crew members home on charter flights from Europe and South America. Royal Caribbean also flew more than 1,200 Filipino crew members home last week from Greece, Dubai, the United States and Barbados, according to the Herald.
Several Caribbean countries haven’t allowed cruise ships to dock in their ports out of concerns that they would cause spikes in the number of virus cases. Only Barbados has allowed for crew repatriation flights from its airports.