Lifting of pre-testing for travel ‘ill-advised and reckless’, Guy says
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People’s National Party (PNP) has expressed strong opposition to the Government’s removal of the COVID-19 pre-test requirement for travellers entering Jamaica.
The Opposition said it would also not support the relaxation of the indoor mask-wearing requirement, which the government does not intend to extend beyond its Friday, April 15, expiry date.
According to Opposition Spokesman on Health and Wellness, Dr Morais Guy, it is unwise for the government to adopt such a stance as there is a continued risk from the COVID-19 Omicron sub-variant BA2, which persists in some jurisdictions from where Jamaica gets the majority of its visitors.
“Several countries are still facing an Omicron wave and removing the pre-test requirement for entry into Jamaica is ill-advised and reckless,” Dr Guy said.
He noted that there is an argument of cost for the pre-test, but said Jamaica only requires the inexpensive Antigen test to satisfy the protocol requirement. Therefore, the member of parliament said this claim should not be used to justify removing the pre-test protocol for entering Jamaica.
The latest move to end the pre-test mandate for travellers and the mask-wearing mandate in enclosed public spaces was announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness in a statement on Wednesday.
READ: Jamaica to lift COVID-19 travel pre-test, mask mandates
Dr Guy, however, said the government should reconsider its current approach.
He noted that with only 24 per cent of the population vaccinated, the new policy would directly threaten seniors who are predisposed to complications from COVID-19 due to the high likelihood of comorbidities.
Dr Guy said instead of relaxing the requirements, the government should mandate that mask-wearing be maintained and enforced for indoor spaces, such as schools, businesses, places of worship and entertainment.
He further reminded the government that the World Health Organization has maintained that the pandemic is not over and stressed that with the ever-increasing numbers of variants being discovered, mask-wearing as a simple public health measure be maintained.
