Saint Lucia Travel Protocols Updated
As the United States continues to see a rise in COVID-19 cases and borders close against travelers from the vast country, Saint Lucia announced they are updating their protocols to ensure proper precautions are being made. Saint Lucia reopened to international travel on June 4, 2020. The government, as of July 9, 2020, is requiring all travelers to have a COVID-19 swab test taken within seven days of travel.
Visitors must also complete the pre-arrival registration form that will include the negative PCR test. The form also requires which COVID-19 certified hotel travelers are staying in.
There is an exemption to the test. Any visitors traveling from an area with zero or low COVID-19 cases does not have to follow the pre-testing requirement. These locations include Aruba, Antigua, Anguilla, Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Bonaire, Dominica, Curacao, Jamaica, Grenada, Saint Barthelemy, Guyana, Nevis, Saint Kitts, Saint Vincent, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, the Grenadines, and Turks and Caicos. Visitors who travel to these areas within the last 14 days before going to Saint Lucia will be exempt from the quarantine.
The government is still requiring passengers to be screened upon arrival at the airport. The screening involves temperature checks. Anyone showing symptoms will be isolated and tested.
Passengers who provide a PCR test may not have to go through on-island testing or more advanced immigration, customs, and baggage claim situation. Visitors are asked to wear masks while in any transportation and public locations, including hotels, restaurants, and beaches.
The beginning steps are known as phase one, where visitors can only be in COVID-19 certified accommodations. These hotels are Bay Gardens, Sandals, Viceroy, and Stonefield.
The hotels and resorts will sanitize luggage during check-in and will have a fully equipped nurses’ area. The hotels have also passed sanitization protocols for housekeeping and social distancing in public spaces.
