COVID-19 test bar lifted for vaccinated travellers

THE GOVERNMENT of Barbados has announced that effective Wednesday, May 25, vaccinated travellers to the island will no longer be required to present a negative COVID-19 test for entry.

During a press conference on Saturday, Prime Minister Mia Mia Mottley said that the government felt comfortable in recognising the downward trajectory in cases of COVID-19.

Unvaccinated passengers will still have to test, Mottley said.

The prime minister added that mask-wearing will be optional in outdoor settings. However, the measure will still be mandatory on public transport.

Mask-wearing will remain compulsory in schools, the prime minister said.

Mottley, however, stressed that if any new COVID-19 variant emerged, measures would be reintroduced to help combat the infection rate.

“If another variant presents itself that causes us concern, believe you me, you don’t have to ask what the Government will do, because we will press brakes again,” said the prime minister.

“But at this point in time, everything is moving in the right direction and allows us, therefore, to be cautiously optimistic and to make the necessary changes we need to make.”