The re-opening of the Guyana’s two international airports to commercial flights in October has seen an increase in the number of persons traveling to the country, particularly for the Christmas holiday.
Approximately 20,000 persons have arrived in Guyana through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri for the months of October and November.
Director-General of Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field assured that Guyana has the capacity to handle this increase while efficiently managing the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.
“It has been increasing because now that we’re open, especially coming on down into the season and with more people aware flights are available, more people are coming,” Field told Village Voice News on Monday adding that “In another 11 days JetBlue will commence their operations out of New York and we already have bookings for persons to coming. So, they’re increasing. As the word spreads ‘Guyana is open’ they are coming.”
Field said what remains immovable is the requirement for persons to possess a negative PCR test for entry. Those with a negative PCR test within 4-7 days must retake a test upon arrival in Guyana while those who’ve done a test 72 hours prior to travel are not required to take an additional test.
On November 19, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony announced that 11 persons who travelled to Guyana and required additional COVID-19 tests, tested positive for the virus.
Field told the Village Voice News that this is the very reason that the additional test requirement was put in place. “Someone could have done the test within the time and could have been exposed an hour after they did the test…so, by the time you reach here you might test positive,” he explained.
Travelling to Guyana is open to any person wishing to do so. There are no criteria besides a negative PCR test, COVID-19 protective gear and all other pre-existing travelling rules and regulations.
Airlines in partnership with Guyana also now have an obligation to ensure that all persons travelling possess a negative PCR test. Field said that, thus far, all airlines have been cooperating. Airlines flying to Guyana include Eastern Airlines, Caribbean Airlines, American Airlines, COPA airlines and soon, Jet Blue.
“We have the capacity to continue welcoming passengers. The Ministry of Health is doing their job in dealing with passengers as they come in [and] it is the Port Health at the airport who would normally conduct the additional review of checking the forms and checking for PCRs, they have been doing their jobs,” he said.
