MIAMI, Florida (CMC)— The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is asking regional governments to reduce the isolation periods for travellers to align with the United Kingdom and the United States to avoid reversing the progress made by the tourism sector since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

CTA president Nicola Madden-Greig has written to Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, who recently served as the chairman of the 15-member Caribbean Community (Caricom) grouping indicating that both the UK and the US had reduced the isolation period for COVID-positive persons.

The revised US protocol allows for five days and the UK for seven days’ confinement. Presently, some Caribbean jurisdictions require as many as 14 days in isolation.

But the CHTA argues that the data no longer substantiate that length of time, which presents unnecessary financial and personal hardship to residents, visitors, destinations and companies and increasingly will deter travel.

The CHTA is recommending a seven-day period.

Madden-Greig said that while the Omicron variant of the virus is highly contagious, it has caused only a “low level of severe illness requiring hospitalisation, and a low death rate and has proven to be particularly less virulent for those who are vaccinated”.

Madden-Greig commended Caribbean governments for restraining from closing borders and restricting travel.

“Government policies, coupled with the efforts of health and tourism officials to enforce health safety protocols, have resulted in the restoration of employment and airlift to near pre-pandemic levels, higher vaccination rates for tourism-related employees, and low positivity test result rates for travellers, preventing massive business failures which would be detrimental to our long-term recovery.”

The CHTA official, in reinforcing the need to continue to adhere to health safety protocols and increase vaccination levels for Caribbean residents and visitors, applauded the regional governments, health officials, and the tourism industry for the proactive and effective measures which have been put in place and resulted in the Caribbean tourism industry recovering faster than any other area of the world.

But she cautioned that “overreaction over the coming critical weeks can reverse the progress we’ve made towards recovery.”

She cited reports of continued confusion in the marketplace about having many and varied requirements by Caribbean governments as she commented on the importance of regional harmonisation for entry, testing and isolation/quarantine requirements.

She said this confusion is a deterrent to travel and is slowing the recovery. She urged greater collaboration by Caribbean governments to align entry, testing and isolation and quarantine policies.

She noted that the cost and availability of COVID-19 PCR tests, which can add US$600 to travel costs for a family of four and recommended that antigen tests approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) be accepted for entry.

The Bahamas, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Jamaica and the US Virgin Islands accept antigen tests and have not reported higher infection rates among tourists.

The CHTA said to help reduce the high cost of PCR tests, it is recommending greater flexibility in sourcing the test as local health authorities work with suppliers to reduce the cost.

Madden-Greig reminded the CARICOM leaders that “well-balanced precautionary and preventive actions have successfully steered our economies towards recovery and must continue to do so.”