Jamaica

will reopen its borders to tourists today, following a two-month closure due to

the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Approximately

600 visitors expected to arrive from the United States from a total of six

scheduled flights today.

Last

week, Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, said 6,000 tourists will enter the

island between June 15 and month’s end in what is a staggered reopening of the

tourism sector.

Additionally, a range

of new measures for non-nationals visiting the island was shared by Prime

Minister Andrew Holness on Friday, June 12.

Holness said non-nationals visiting

Jamaica for tourism will be subject to testing if considered high-risk, meaning

they either come from a country designated as high risk for COVID-19

transmission or due to other risk factors such as exhibiting symptoms or

exposure to people who have tested positive.

Those assessed as high risk will have

their samples taken at the airport or other designated facility and await their

test results at their hotel or resort under the ‘stay in zone’ measure. If the

test is negative, they will remain under the ‘stay in zone’ measure. However,

if the test is positive, they will be isolated either at the hotel/resort or in

a government facility as determined by the health authorities.

Those not assessed as high risk will be

allowed to go to their hotel/resort under the ‘stay in zone’ measure. This

means they are required for the duration of their stay in Jamaica to remain

within the COVID-19 resilient corridor, Holness said.