St Lucia announces new COVID-19 protocols for travellers

As per the reports, under Seamless St Lucia, the new travel protocols, including one-day antigen tests for vaccinated travellers, are allowed to the country. The country has also simplified the ready-to-go registration process. 

St Lucia announces new COVID-19 protocols for travellers
St Lucia announces new COVID-19 protocols for 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, are allowed to the country. 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-19 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 of St Lucia 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. 

COVID-19 update of March 1 and March 2, 2022 in St Lucia:

  • March 1, 2022

The situation of the viral infection caused by the novel coronavirus has been witnessing a significant decline in St Lucia as the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs has reported that 18 people were exposed to the COID-19 pandemic on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.  

With the emergence of the new cases, the positivity rate of St Lucia stood at 6.57 percent of all samples that were processed on that date. The toll of the confirmed cases with the new possibilities of the viral infection of the novel coronavirus increased to 22,712. 

The toll of the active cases of the novel coronavirus stood at 102 in St Lucia, out of which 14 cases have been admitted to the Respiratory Hospital, and two of them are critically ill, and two are severely ill.

As per the status of the vaccination, the Health Ministry of St Lucia reported that a total of 52,310 people are fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 5,667 people are partially vaccinated; on the other hand, a total of 6,736 people have received the booster shots in St Lucia. 

Further, the health ministry of St Lucia has processed 274 samples against the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of the total samples, a total of 214 samples have been processed at the Ezra Long Labprtaray; on the other hand, the reaming 60 samples have been tested against the viral infection caused by the novel coronavirus processed at the Laboratory Services and Consultations Limited. 

As per the statistics of recovery, a total of 66 people have been recovered from the COVID-19 infection and discharged from the hospital facilities on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.

March 2, 2022

On the other hand, on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs has reported a total of 17 people had been infected with the viral infection of the SARS-CoV-2 in St Lucia. Around 224 samples have been processed with the testing method of the CPOVOd-19 pandemic and out of which 184 samples were from the Ezra Long Laboratory and the reaming 40 were from the <oabroray Services and consultations Limited.  

With the emergence of the new cases, the positivity rate of the COCVID-19 cases stood at 7.59 per cent of all the samples that have been tested on the date. The toll of the confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus has been increased to 22 729.  

As per the recoveries, a total of 11 people have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 infection and secured from the hospital facilities. The toll of active cases stood at 106. 

The Health Ministry further confirmed the one death due to the viral infection caused by the novel coronavirus, which further increased the death toll that has now reached 270. 

As per the status of the vaccination, the health ministry has reported that till March 2, 2022, a total of 52,353 people have received their required number of doses against the viral infection of the novel coronavirus sand are fully vaccinated. Out of the total cases, a total of 5,649 are partially vaccinated against the COVID-19 infection; on the other hand, a total of 6,755 people have received the booster shots against the COVID-19 in St Lucia.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs will be available to provide more updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, which will aid the people of the country to tackle the pandemic. 

Earlier, Prime Minister of St Lucia Philip J Pierre also urged the citizens of the country to be cautious as the country has controlled the pandemic but not reached the level of the ending.

Moreover, the country has also accepted the 10,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine against the COVId-19 pandemic from the United Kingdom, and the Health Minister also hailed gratitude to the country to support them in the upliftment of the vaccination drive in the country. 

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