St Lucia updates COVID-19 protocols for vaccinated travellers

Castries, St Lucia: The Government of St Lucia has updated international arrival protocols under the "Seamless St Lucia" experience for travellers. As per the reports, under Seamless St Lucia, the new travel protocols, including one-day antigen tests for vaccinated travellers, has specified. The country has also simplified the ready-to-go registration process.

The following changes for international arrivals, in-transit passengers, and returning nationals will be implemented starting on Saturday, March 5, 2022.

- Fully vaccinated travellers and in-transit passengers aged five and over must have a negative rapid COVID-19 antigen test or a Rapid COVID-10 PCR test taken one-day prior to entering St Lucia.

- All adult travellers and unaccompanied minors must complete and submit an online travel registration.

- Travellers may also provide a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test taken up to five days prior to arrival.

- All unvaccinated travellers must present a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test up to five days before entering St Lucia.

- All travellers must register their information and upload test results online prior to travel on the official website www.stlucia.org/covid-19.

- On completion, the travellers will receive an automatic 'ready to go' email. The previous two-step approval process is no longer required for boarding.

While highlighting the strategies used by the government to evaluate COVID-19, the Chief Executive Officer of the St Lucia Tourism Authority, Lornie Charles-St Jules, noted,"As one of the very first destinations to implement a responsible tourism reopening strategy, St Lucia has continuously evaluated COVID-19 travel protocols. These major changes are good news for visitors and returning nationals as it means a simplified process, greater access to testing and a significant reduction in cost".

The government has been listening to our travel community in the US, UK, Canada, Caribbean and around the world. Travellers are seeking a seamless experience along with confidence in safety, and our eased protocols reflect our commitment to welcoming travellers back to St Lucia, underscored CMO.

Other protocols stated that:

- Rapid Antigen tests must be administered by a healthcare provider. Self-administered tests and saliva tests are not accepted. UK NHS tests are also not valid for travel.

- Unvaccinated visitors can continue to stay at COVID-19 certified properties. Returning nationals who are unvaccinated are required to quarantine for a seven-day period.

As of January 2022, ninety percent of tourism arrivals to St Lucia are fully vaccinated, travellers.

Travellers are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after a dose of an accepted single-dose vaccine or two weeks after the second dose of an accepted two-dose vaccine series.