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London flights set to resume as Barbados reopens borders

British Airways flights to Barbados are to resume from Gatwick on July 18.

A weekly service is initially scheduled following the island reporting no more active cases of Covid-19 for 35 days and all curfews lifted from July 1.

A weekly Virgin Atlantic service from Heathrow will return on August 1 with increased frequency in October for the winter season.

Other measures announced on the island include physical distancing of three feet, social events with up to 500 people and sporting events with spectators.

Commercial flights will restart at the Grantley Adams international airport on July 12 with a twice-weekly Air Canada service from Toronto.

Jet Blue is tentatively set to return to the island on July 25 with four flights a week flights from New York JFK.

Regional flights by Caribbean Airlines are expected to resume in mid-July, with American Airlines returning with a Miami route on August 5.

New protocols will be introduced to ensure the health and safety of both visitors and residents once flights resume.

All travellers from high risk countries will be “strongly encouraged” to take a Covid-19 PCR test from an accredited laboratory within 72 hours prior to departure for Barbados.

High risk countries are defined as those with more than 10,000 new cases in the prior seven days and community transmission.

Travellers from low risk countries will have up to one week prior to departure for Barbados to take their tests.

Low risk countries are defined as those with less than 100 new cases in the prior seven days and not in the community transmission category.

A new online embarkation/disembarkation card is being introduced, with personal health questions relating to Covid-19 symptoms, which travellers will be required to complete. Once all required steps are completed and supporting documents uploaded, travellers will receive a bar code via email.

Travellers on arrival in Barbados will be required to present evidence of a negative result of a PCR Covid-19 test, and bar code to clear immigration.

Those without a documented negative PCR test result from an accredited or recognised laboratory will be required to take a test upon arrival, and will be quarantined at their expense, pending the results.

The anticipated wait period for the test results is 48 hours. If travellers fail the test, they will be placed in isolation.

Barbados prime minister Mia Amor Mottley said: “We will continue to take a risk based approach to the protection of our country, our people and our visitors.”

She added that the country will also be encouraging travellers to choose Barbados for extended stays against the new backdrop of remote working.

“We want to create an environment that will allow people to come to Barbados to work, to rest and to play from here for an extended period of time during Covid-19. Why? Because we know that this is one of the best places on earth to be and to remain because of the care we will take to protect the people of this nation and those who are here on island with us.”

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