Families to re-unite following the re-opening of international borders

St Kitts and Nevis prepare to reopen its borders to international commercial flights and travellers from October 31, 2020.

Thursday, 8th October 2020

As St Kitts and Nevis prepare to reopen its borders to international commercial flights and travellers from October 31, 2020, the common public is actively inspired to advance to adhere to all COVID-19 health and protection protocols that were executed to grip citizens and residents protected from the extent of the Coronavirus. “In preparing for the impending opening of our borders, we have emphasized that our citizens and residents comply with all health protocols particularly the wearing of masks in public areas, regular hand washing, physical and social distancing and we urge our citizens and residents to evade crowds and areas of dense congestion,” said Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris on October 06 version of ‘Leadership Matters’. PM Harris said that the Federation has arisen “a long way in its prosperous control of COVID-19 cases” and as a country designated by the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a low-risk destination, citizens and residents should proceed to secure that all protocols are followed as such manners will redound to the advantage of everyone. “These methods have to grow second nature to us as we work to guard ourselves, our families, our friends and loved ones. Given that all our cases of COVID-19 to day are travel-related or carried, stringent acquiescence with the health protocols is the only way to restrain the spread of the virus through reducing any stress on our small health system and decline of employment and productivity due to quarantine, isolation or hospitalization,” Dr Harris added. Practising proper sanitation and heeding for one’s health have always been stressed by health officials and different key stakeholders. Citizens and residents have perpetually been urged to obey different hygienic prudent practices such as repeatedly rinsing hands, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth and following respiratory hygiene such as coating one’s mouth and nose with your flexed elbow or tissue when one coughs or sneezes. The applied tissue should then be disposed of promptly in a garbage bin. Very shortly on the government executed steps to assure the safety of citizens and residents. On March 25, 2020, the government shut the borders to all commercial airline flights to proceed to protect citizens and residents against COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). However, airlines for medicinal emergencies and International Air cargo and cargo by seafaring vessels were exempted from maintaining connectivity and enabling the Federation to import much-needed commodities such as food, fuel, medical supplies and accessories. To this day, the administration and key stakeholders remain to play their part to guarantee that every citizen and tenant is protected against the spread of the virus. Families to reunite after reopening of SKN borders The phased reopening of the St Kitts and Nevis boundaries to regional and international travel will support to encourage the local economy by arousing jobs in the tourism sector, nearly shut since late March 2020. Executives also assume the move to rejoin families departed for the past 7 months. “Many of our persons were literally stranded overseas,” PM Timothy Harris said. In the subsequent weeks following the border closing, health executives triumphantly flattened the curve of the novel coronavirus. This conceded chartered flights to transport citizens and other specific groups, such as foreign students undertaking education, to the island. Persons who are still abroad will be ready to retreat to their homeland following the border opening on October 31. “So, part of the intellect really [for reopening the borders] is to bring that pleasure, to reunite families, to get people back home to serve to their jobs etc. Those are some of the causes that drove us to ascertain that the time had arrived,” Prime Minister Harris stated. The prime minister added that the health and safety of the people continue a priority for the administration and strongly urged all persons to adhere to the entrenched protocols outlined to guard against the spread of COVID-19.