Under the newly gazetted civil aviation health and safety regulations, travellers seeking entry to Guyana will only be required to have been inoculated with a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The regulations, published in the Official Gazette on Saturday and coming into effect today, also mandate that travellers have a negative molecular COVID-19 RNA PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival.
The regulations, which have been issued by Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, who has responsibility for aviation, stipulates that proof of vaccination means a document indicating that the person has received at least one dose of either the Astra-Zenerca, Sputnik-V, Sino-pharm, Sinovac, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Port of Entry Requirements previously released by the Health Ministry had stated that in order for travellers to be considered “fully vaccinated” they would have to have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks prior to travel. However, the newly gazetted regulations are in line with government’s recent definition of vaccinated as being administered a single dose of a vaccine. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony and other government spokes-persons have yet to explain the rationale for the new definition.
Upon arrival in Guyana, travellers will be required to present their vaccination passport or proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test result for inspection. These regulations apply to passengers who are transiting through Guyana for up to four hours. They do not apply to children.
According to the regulations, a negative test will not be required if a traveler who has had a positive viral test in the previous 90 days, and has met the criteria to end isolation, presents documentation of the positive viral test result and an official written or electronic document from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official that states the individual has been cleared for travel. The positive test result and letter together are referred to as a Certificate of Clearance from quarantine/isolation.
Those with proof of vaccination but with a PCR test taken outside of the 72-hour window prior to travel would be required to do another PCR test on arrival and would be subject to quarantine until their test results are available.
The regulations state that any passenger who declines to be tested on arrival in Guyana or has a negative PCR test taken more than seven days prior to their flight shall be denied entry into Guyana and also shall not be allowed to board a flight at the port of embarkation.
Rapid tests – Antibody or Antigen – are not are accepted for travel to Guyana. These include, rapid PCR tests, rapid tests using saliva samples, self-administered tests (even if the sample was taken under the supervision of a healthcare provider), home kits, Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) tests.
Meanwhile, the regulations also set out penalties for any aircraft operators who allows a passenger to board an aircraft without proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test. They shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of $250,000. A similar fine would be imposed on the operator for every other passenger without proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test.
