Cayman: Phase 5 of national border reopening

Loop News – After collaborative assessment of our COVID-19 response, we will now be moving to an updated phase 5 of our national border reopening plan effective today, January 20.”

These were the words of Cayman Islands’ Premier, Wayne Panton at a press briefing today, January 20.

The new rules, which make it easier for families with children to travel to the Cayman Islands, will apply to all travellers regardless of residency or citizenship status.

The changes are as follows:

Children

According to the Premier, the goal of government is to be equitable in its regulations with respect to families with children.

Under phase 5, children (ages 0-11) will take on the vaccination status of their parents or the adults who they are traveling with. Unaccompanied children who travel from a country with vaccination rates that are 59 per cent or lower for the first dose of the vaccine must quarantine for 7 days. Unvaccinated children who are unaccompanied will not be allowed to travel to the Cayman Islands.

Children under the age of 4 will not be required to be tested. Children over the age of 5 will have to do the same testing as adults.

Isolation changes

Non-securely verifiable fully vaccinated travellers who travel from a country with vaccination rates that are 60 per cent or higher for the first dose of the vaccine and where those travellers spent at least 14 days prior to the date of travel will not be required to quarantine.

Non-securely verifiable fully vaccinated travellers who travel from a country with vaccination rates that are 59 per cent or lower for the first dose of the vaccine must quarantine for 7 days, down from 10 days.

Unvaccinated travellers will be required to quarantine for 10 days, down from 14 days.

Travellers currently in quarantine

All of those who are presently in quarantine under phase 4 quarantine and qualify for exit from quarantine as per the new quarantine restrictions must take a certified lateral flow test or PCR test which is returned with a negative result before they can be released from quarantine.

Residents of homes where someone is quarantining will not be required to quarantine with them.

A certified lateral flow test or a PCR test is required by all travellers no matter where they are coming from.

The day of your original positive PCR test is considered Day 0.

Inter-Island Travel

A new inter-island travel policy has been put into place whereby all travellers to the Sister Islands will be required to submit a negative official COVID-19 test result.

Community cases

Yesterday, January 19, the Public Health Department announced that isolation/quarantine requirements have been reduced for positive COVID-19 persons and their contacts, effective immediately. Fully vaccinated persons who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 6 days, with a negative PCR test required on day 7 to exit isolation. Vaccinated persons who are primary contacts of COVID-19 positive persons must conduct daily lateral flow testing for 7 days, but may continue usual activities. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated persons who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 9 days, with a negative PCR test required on day 10 to exit isolation. Unvaccinated persons in the household of a positive must quarantine for 10 days. If a primary contact is a negative, unvaccinated child (under 18 years of age), they should conduct daily lateral flow tests (LFT) for 7 days. They can attend school if daily LFT results continue to be negative.

“I appeal to everyone’s sense of personal responsibility,” said the Premier. “All positive lateral flow tests must be reported.”

• Loop News Cayman