The government of Bermuda has updated its COVID-19 protocols after the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) loosened its health guidelines. The destination now welcomes unvaccinated travelers. Earlier, unvaccinated visitors 12 years and above were required to apply for a medical exemption from vaccination to enter Bermuda at least 10 days prior to arrival.
“The pandemic is not over, but today, Bermuda has the necessary tools and processes in place to protect ourselves and our communities,” said Tracy Berkeley, interim CEO of Bermuda Tourism Authority. “Our updated travel protocols will streamline the process for visiting our island, further boosting Bermuda’s tourism comeback in 2022.”
According to Bermuda’s updated COVID-19 protocols, unvaccinated residents are no longer required to quarantine for four days when they return to the island. They can get a COVID-19 test no more than two days before landing or, if they choose not to, they must test on arrival at the airport. They will test again on Day 4, but there is no requirement for a Day 10 test.
Residents who previously traveled with proof of recent recovery from COVID-19 or with a medical exemption from vaccination, no longer need to produce that proof or obtain that exemption. Instead, those residents will fall into the category of an unvaccinated resident and follow that testing regime: pre-arrival test and Day 4 test or arrival test and Day 4 test.
Unvaccinated visitors must take a COVID-19 test, no more than two days before landing in Bermuda and then test again on Day 4. They must have valid travel health insurance to enter Bermuda and must upload proof of travel health insurance to their “Travel Authorization” application for approval.
Unvaccinated cruise passengers require a COVID-19 test no more than two days before departing the port. Depending on the time it takes to travel to Bermuda, they may need to test again before disembarking in Bermuda. This is familiar territory for the cruise lines as Bermuda already requires additional testing for vaccinated travelers when the journey to Bermuda is longer than four days.
Unvaccinated mariners are required to take a COVID-19 test no more than two days prior to departure and, as those sailing journeys to Bermuda take more than two days, they will have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of arrival in Bermuda. They can do this using a telehealth service or by going to Perot Post Office. They will test again on Day 4. This approach is similar to that used by the CDC for unvaccinated travelers arriving in the U.S.
For more details, visit www.gov.bm/coronavirus-travellers-residents.
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