Select a region
The Civil Contingencies Authority has revealed its alternative to mandatory pre-travel tests for incoming ‘blue channel’ travelers; fully vaccinated people from within the Common Travel Area will be provided with lateral flow tests on arrival.
Additionally, the CCA is ‘strongly recommending’ that people who aren’t locally resident in Guernsey organise either a PCR or lateral flow test before they travel.
These requirements will come into force from 3 August, as long as "the necessary testing packs arrive in the anticipated timeframe."
The requirement was set to be imposed on Thursday 29 July, but was dropped after substantial public concern about its ramifications, with many suggesting it made travel for local residents a logistical nightmare.
“We are by no means perfect and, as has happened on occasion throughout the last 18 months while trying to manage this pandemic, we won’t get every decision right,” said the Chair of the CCA, Deputy Peter Ferbrache.
Pictured: “Paying for the test will be a condition of travelling into the Bailiwick and therefore compulsory if you are a blue channeler,” said Deputy Ferbrache.
Those who are fully vaccinated will need to pay £25 on arrival into Guernsey for a pack of five lateral flow tests, these should be taken every other day to “help protect themselves and the wider community.”
As per Public Health guidelines, anyone who tests positive for covid will be required to immediately self-isolate.
“The decision we have made today, to introduce lateral flow tests on arrival while continuing to strongly recommend that anyone not locally resident in the Bailiwick takes a pre-travel test, seeks to provide an additional level of mitigation to help further protect our community without significantly impacting those who are fully vaccinated and want to travel,” said Deputy Ferbrache.
Pictured: Children aged 11 and under who are travelling with fully vaccinated adults will not be required to take a test on arrival.
Deputy Ferbrache acknowledged the concerns raised by the community following the decision last week.
“Where we get things wrong or change direction we will say so and hold our hands up, and having reflected on our decision of last week, and importantly having had the opportunity to examine other options in more detail, we listened to our community and found a better way forward,” he said.
“However, we recognise this has impacted some members of our community, to whom we apologise.”
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.