PCRs and quarantine for arrivals from outside CTA even if vaccinated
VACCINATED travellers arriving into the Bailiwick from outside the Common Travel Area will be required to take PCRs and quarantine until they get a negative result as the rules are tightened.
The rule covers anyone who has been outside the CTA in the previous 10 days, with the change coming in at midnight tomorrow.
Currently vaccinated travellers from outside the CTA are only required to undertaker LFTs tests and do not face any isolation.
But concerns over the new Omicron variant, which has already been seen in a number of countries, including the UK, the Netherlands and Denmark, has led to a tightening of the rules. Arrivals from the CTA will also see a return of mandatory LFT tests. They will need to purchase 10 days of LFTs for £25. PCR tests for non-CTA arrivals will also cost £25.
Dr Brink said for people coming from non-CTA countries should allow at least 48 hours to get their negative result and release from isolation.
‘I can recall last Christmas we worked our socks off to get everyone to their families by Christmas Eve, so we are obviously doing our very best endeavours, but I would give at least 48 hours,’ she said.
She added that the situation was changeable and there were no guarantees what things would look like the week before Christmas.
Guernsey is currently testing about 500 symptomatic people per day with PCRs.
Dr Brink said to cope with increased testing demand due to travel, testing days would need to be extended and include evening runs.
‘It will stretch our testing capacity,’ she said.
Travel requirements for arrivals from outside the CTA who are not fully vaccinated will not change.
These travellers currently need to complete a PCR test on their day of arrival and on day eight and isolate until they receive a negative result for the day eight test.
Red list country rules are also unchanged. These arrivals, regardless of vaccination status, must complete a test on arrival and a test on day nine and isolate until they receive a negative result on the day nine test.
This is on the basis that they have not travelled to the Bailiwick via the UK, as red list arrivals travelling via the UK must complete 10 days in a UK quarantine hotel.
While the rules do not come in until tomorrow, travellers on yesterday’s direct Barcelona flight and French ferry are being recommended to do the tests.
While surveillance LFTs are supplied for free by the UK government, the States has to pay for travel LFTs, and so it is passing on the £25 cost.
