Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 26, 2020 (SKNIS): Although the Federation’s borders remain closed to international commercial flights and visitors, nationals are allowed to enter, however, they must go through a process, says Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws.
Dr. Laws explained this during her presentation at the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) COVID-19 Briefing for June 24.
“If you are overseas and you wish to return home, you must send a letter or an email of application to the Chief Executive Officer of SCASPA (St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority) explaining the same because our ports remain closed,” said Dr. Laws.
“Once permission is granted, you will be automatically quarantined at a government designated quarantine site,” Dr. Laws said.
“There is a cost attached to this accommodation. You will be in quarantine for 14 days and the cost for that duration is US500 for 14 days … which will be borne by the incoming traveller,” she added.
Dr. Laws further outlined “that at the end of the quarantine period, you will be sampled, and your sample will be sent to our local next generation lab for processing with the cost being $US100.”
“Part of that fee goes to Next Gen Lab for processing the sample, however, the rest covers the cost for their personal protective gear that must be worn by the health professional to take the sample then the sampling requires the use of a swab and a viral transport media, so that fee covers the entire cost of sampling,” said the Chief Medical Officer