Plans: Quarantine For Non-Vaccinated Travelers
There are no plans to shut down the airport, Premier David Burt said, however there are plans to introduce “mandatory quarantine requirements for non-vaccinated travelers in the near future.”
During a Q&A session held along with Dr. Carika Weldon, the Premier was asked if there are plans to shut down the airport, and he replied “no” and explained that the airport “is important for Bermuda.”
Premier Burt said, “It’s not just about tourists, it’s about persons who travel for medical reasons, persons who travel for academic reasons. Not everyone is going on a shopping trip to New York, or an ill advised partying trip to Miami or Atlanta. That’s not what everyone is traveling for, and the airport is our lifeline and connection to the rest of the world.
“We clearly will have to do some modifications as we move forward,” the Premier added. “We will be introducing mandatory quarantine requirements for non-vaccinated travelers in the near future. Those will be for visitors and also for returning residents.
“But I think as Dr Weldon has stated many points in time, visitors are never our problem,” he said. “It is persons who are residents, who do not feel as though if they need to follow the rules, and that is the reason why I sympathize with the views and calls of other persons who say that we should reinstate mandatory 14 day quarantine.”
“What I will say is that they will be restrictions that are going to be introduced as we increase our pace of vaccination, as vaccines are widely available in all of our gateway cities, to implement heavy restrictions at the border for non-vaccinated travelers, whether they be visitors or whether they be residents.”
As the island and world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are doing our best to provide timely and accurate information, and you can find more information on the links below.
- All: Our coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic here
- Official: Bermuda Government website here
- World Stats: Live graph of all cases worldwide here
- Bermuda Stats: Chart of the Bermuda stats here
- Vaccinations: Data covering vaccinations here
- Timeline: Visual look at the timeline here
- Comprehensive: BermudaCovid.com website here
- Live Updates: Continuous updates here.
Awful idea. Like it was last time.
Shame on you, sir. Not everyone can get the vaccine and, as far as I was aware, people still had the freedom of choice as to what’s injected into their bodies or not. What you’re planning to create is a true “two Bermuda’s”, where those under the age of 16 and those unable or unwilling (because of their right to choose) to vaccinate will be singled out and discriminated against.
I thought the reasoning for the lightening-speed developed vaccine was to protect the elderly and vulnerable. Once they’re injected, sorry, protected, does it matter if younger, healthier people contract and fight off the virus? Surely it is better for our immune systems in the long run to develop the antibodies itself, rather than depend on a synthetic drug.
You might as well rename Morgan’s Point to “Leper’s Island”, where all children and healthy adults, who have made the choice to allow their bodies to do what it’s designed for, to live, work and play.
Cotton Wood Brigade, your Trump-like lack of thinking and spreading of misinformation is noted.
The Premier is not planning to exclude Bermudians from Bermuda, he has only said that the PLP Government has “plans to” quarantine arriving non-vaccinated travelers in the future. In light of the fact that we had 108 new cases yesterday, so 396 active cases at present, how does trying to control a deadly pandemic in Bermuda create “two Bermudas”?
By the way, where is your evidence that “it is better for our immune systems in the long run to develop the antibodies itself”?
I have not heard anything to that effect from any of the American, British or European epidemiologists
He has already got his two Bermuda’s – now he’ll just chip away at the one he don’t like.
On another note, what you’re essentially admitting is that the “unvaccinated” cannot be trusted to follow the rules.
That is not what was said. It may be what you understood the article to say, but that is not what it actually said.
News flash Mr.Premier. Vaccinated people also can be infected and spread Covid.
The WHO and Dr Fauci have said this continually.
So, clearly this is not to reduce the spread of Covid but rather to force individuals to vaccinate.
Holy Big Brother Batman, what are earth is happening to our island home.
Class action discrimination lawsuit if there ever was one.
It’s not about safety but rather unconstitutional enforcement.
Wrong on so many levels.
“to force individuals to vaccinate”
No. No one can be forced to vaccinate.
“what are earth is happening to our island home”
The same as ever. An irresponsible few are making life difficult for the majority.
In less than 2 weeks we have gone from few than 20 active COVIV-19 cases to 537 active cases. That is why indoor dining is banned, shops are limited in the number of people that can be inside at one time.
If people acted responsibly, the Premier and Minister of Health would not have to put the brakes on things and you would not be griping.
Are vaccinated people allowed to do things on the island that non vaccinated can’t? I’m having my 2nd vaccination in April
Sorry, Rebecca, but being vaccinated only means you are unlikely to become acutely ill from COVID-19, it does not mean you cannot be a carrier of the disease
This is absolute discrimination.
Queue the lawsuits.
This is blatant discrimination!
Prepare for class action lawsuit as an infringement on our human rights!
https://youtu.be/qX668fg9eGo
“This is blatant discrimination!”
The PLP love to discriminate. Look at what they’re doing to the LGBT community.
I dont usually back this Governments decisions or policies but I’m backing this one … there will be many countries that will implement this same travel restriction so those who have not been vaccinated may not be able to travel off the island if they do and then you wont have to worry about being in quarantine on arrival
“there are plans to introduce “mandatory quarantine requirements for non-vaccinated travelers in the near future.”
Really? You might as well say there are plans to balance it budget in the future. Without specifics it is just electioneering.
Children cant even get vaccinated. Do they need to quarantine while their parents dont. What if an unvaccinated person has to go abroad for treatment that cant be done here. This is so unfair.
So now our Premier telling us we will be denied access to our own country if we aren’t vaccinated. Or let alone we can’t leave the country otherwise. This is sounding a bit worrying for me
Solid idea and the only way forward to combat this treacherous disease.
To all the naysayers why don’t you go and get vaccinated. For once why not read a peer reviewed medical journal (there are hundreds) and not the one YouTube video that spouts lies and conspiracies or does that not fit your narrative?
Here’s an idea – why don’t you respect peoples’ decision NOT to get vaccinated just like they respect YOUR decision to GET vaccinated?! Do you give people a hard time when they decide not to do chemo? It’s a personal choice. Let them not get vaccinated and move on. Mind your own business.
That’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison. I’m not religious, but I am subjected to religious bullsh*t every day, everywhere, every newspaper I read, every newscast on TV. No one respects that view.
The thing about masks and vaccinations is that they serve a common public good during this global public health crisis.
Feel free to opt out, but do not expect to eat in the same restaurants as me, come to my house, travel on the same aircraft, send your kids to the same school. Get it? I actually have zero respect for those opting out.
Yes, Will, trufth should have the right to infect anyone he wants.
Eventually the PLP Government will have to recognise that people like trufth exist in Bermuda and the Criminal Code will have to be changed to include COVID-19 as one of the diseases is it s crime to knowingly transmit to another
Does your government respect the marriage rights of same sex couples?
They don’t seem to, they’re spending millions of dollars to fight it, yet it doesn’t have any effect on anyone else.
A vaccine, however, does affect everyone. It’s for the greater good to have a majority of the population vaccinated.
If the vaccine does not work and even if it did it does not work right away so why quarantine un-vaccinated people? Doesn’t make any sense but yet again nothing they do makes any sense.
One person out of 108 yesterday was a flight arrival.
This is a measure that will make no difference.
Enforcement of the domestic measures we already have – no large gatherings etc – would have much greater effect.
Heck, why don’t we follow England’s lead re leaving England unless you seek permission by filling out a form. Yup, Mudians be more pissed but hey, you want to play, you must pay.
How long these restrictions on people will be carried on.