By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Wednesday 8th December 2021) — Effective Saturday 11th December 2021, the fence barrier at Port Zante will be removed after more than two months since 14th September, during which the restrictive setup attracted much public debate for allowing movement of only vaccinated individuals within the ‘bubble’ space. Information from the Office of the Prime Minister indicates the reasoning behind the removal is to make the area more accessible and allow for greater business activity.
“Effective Saturday, 11th December, 2021, all fully vaccinated passengers 12 years and over arriving in St. Kitts and Nevis with a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival will no longer be required to undergo a quarantine period or further testing upon arrival. Additionally, the protective barriers that were erected at Port Zante for the safety of citizens and residents will be removed on Saturday, 11th December, effectively making Port Zante more accessible to all and allowing for greater business activity,” parts of the statement read.
Both decisions on these two measures are said to be based on the science and following the advice of local health experts. Health authorities have advised that the Omicron variant appears to be less severe than the Delta variant, and based on the scientific knowledge of the Omicron variant and the high vaccination coverage in St. Kitts and Nevis, they recommend these measures can be implemented with minimal risks. Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force Abdias Samuel called for collective efforts to bring about a safe festive season: “We are hopeful that persons can exercise the necessary safety precautions to be able to enjoy themselves at this time. Please continue to do your best to help us to get out of this pandemic. Let’s turn this pandemic into an endemic for us here in St. Kitts and Nevis and we can only do so by continuing to vaccinate.”