Unvaccinated foreign Guyanese must obtain authorization to travel back home
Foreign-based Guyanese, who have not received at least one shot of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, must apply to the country’s National COVID-19 Task Force for an exemption to return home.
Gazetted changes to the Civil Aviation (Health-Safety Measures for Airports and Aircraft during a Public Health Pandemic) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 2021 last weekend made it mandatory that all persons coming to the country must have at least one shot of an approved vaccine.
The approved vaccines are Sinopharm, Sputnik V, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca, and Johnson and Johnson.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony confirmed this in today’s COVID-19 Update as he sought to clarify confusion in the populace about the entry and exit requirements for Guyanese and visitors.
Yesterday, the minister said that only a negative PCR test would be required for citizens to enter.
“There might be other citizens, who for one reason or the other, [might] have travelled abroad and because these requirements are now in place…and they now require to travel back, they might not have [gotten] their vaccine. In those circumstances, they can apply to the Task Force ahead of time, and each case will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis,” the minister said.
Pregnant women and children under 18 will be allowed to enter Guyana with a negative PCR test.
Just over 271,122 people, or 55.7 per cent of adults in Guyana, have received at least their first vaccine shot.
Over 144 965 people, or 29.8 percent of adults, are fully vaccinated.
Travellers, who have taken the Cuban manufactured Abdala vaccine or India’s COVAXIN, must inform the government before arrival, and they will be considered on a case by case basis.
Airlines are not allowing persons to travel unless they meet the requirements to enter since the company will have to pay a fine.
Proof of vaccination is currently required for persons to enter places of entertainment and some government offices without an appointment.
The government has mandated that people employed in public service, entertainment, banking, and medical fields be vaccinated.
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