…as Guyana’s Civil Aviation Regulations are amended
All adult passengers who are not Guyanese nationals travelling to Guyana from Trinidad and Tobago are now required to be fully COVID-19 vaccinated in order to enter the country, according to amendments made to the Civil Aviation Regulations (Amendment) 2021.
The changes to the specific Health Safety Measures for Airports and Aircraft during the Public Health Pandemic were gazetted on Friday, July 23, 2021.
“…passengers, except for children, travelling to Guyana from Trinidad and Tobago who are not nationals of Guyana are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to be allowed entry into the country Guyana,” the regulation stated. The document was signed by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.
Discussions about increasing the vaccination campaign push are being had at the highest levels in Guyana. Recently, Advisor to the Minister of Health in Guyana, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that there should be consequences for persons who refuse to be COVID-19 vaccinated.
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has since expressed agreement with such noting its support for businesses making it mandatory for employees to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
There has been no response as yet from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago or its Civil Aviation Authority regarding Guyana’s decision.
Trinidad and Tobago’s state-owned Caribbean Airlines for years has offered the most flights to Guyana. For most flights to Guyana, passengers must transit through Trinidad’s Piarco International Airport.
As of July 24, 2021, Trinidad and Tobago reported 300 new cases of the virus even as the country has some 5,893 active cases of the virus. The country has 315 persons in the hospital as a result of the virus and has experienced 1032 deaths.
To date, there have been no confirmed cases of the widely feared Delta variant in Trinidad and Tobago. However, like Guyana, because no such case has been detected, the country’s health officials have not ruled out its possible presence. However, cases of the Brazilian COVID-19 variant (P1 variant) have been detected in Trinidad and Tobago.
The country’s vaccination campaign has been steadily ongoing but only over 181,000 of its 1.3 million population have been fully vaccinated. Over 326,000 have received just the first dose.
Meanwhile, in Guyana, some 50 percent of the adult population has received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Thus far over 245,000 have received their first dose of either Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sputnik V or the Sinopharm vaccine. Over 129,000 have received the second dose.
Though Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley has encouraged citizens of his country to be vaccinated; he has maintained that “vaccination in Trinidad and Tobago remains voluntary”. The Prime Minister also stated on July 17, 2021 that “the matter of making it mandatory is not before the cabinet”.
