Cayman Islands Quarantine Information

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This section covers information relating to the COVID-19 quarantine process for inbound travellers to the Cayman Islands. It is important to follow these restrictions for the entire quarantine period even if you do not have any symptoms. This will help to protect our community and control any spread of COVID-19.

All in-bound travellers are required to:

• Undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival at the Owen Roberts International Airport (day 0) and again on day 15; and
• Remain in isolation for a minimum of 14 days, after which a day 15 negative test result and sign off by the Medical Officer of Health is required for the quarantine period to cease. Allow 24-72 hours for off-boarding process, this includes a negative test result and return of monitoring equipment.

There are three quarantine options:

1. Quarantine at a government sponsored facility
2. Quarantine at a privately-run facility
3. Quarantine at residence, wearing a device with monitoring technology

Travellers must choose one of these quarantine options when they apply to Travel Cayman and will be notified by Travel Cayman that their approved quarantine option has been secured.

Government Sponsored Quarantine Facility

Selected locations are being used by the Cayman Islands Government as quarantine facilities. Please note that this option is only available to Caymanians, Permanent Residents, and CIG employees.

Quarantine At A Privately-Run Facility

The privately-run facilities currently available are:

• St. Matthews Hall of Residence Hall (starting at CI$1,975),
• Palm Heights (starting at CI$5,250);
• Sunshine Suites (starting at CI$3,627);
• The Ritz-Carlton (starting at CI$9,000).

Quarantine at a privately-run facility is at the travellers’ own expense and is operated on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on availability. Travellers are responsible for booking quarantine arrangements directly with the hotel/facility.

Quarantine At Residence Programme

From 1 October, 2020, travellers may apply to quarantine at their residence.

Quarantining at residence means that traveler has agreed to:

• Wear a Stay Safe Cayman smart wristband
• Quarantine in an approved location
• Undergo COVID-19 testing on arrival at Owen Robert International Airport (day 0) and again on day 15; and
• Remain in isolation for a minimum of 14 days, after which a negative test result and sign-off by the Medical Officer of Health will be required in order for your quarantine period to end. Allow 24-72 hours for off-boarding process, this includes a negative test result and return of monitoring equipment.

If the traveler lives with other people, all members of the household are subject to these same conditions. After a day 15 negative COVID-19 test result, the mobile compliance team will visit the residence and off-board the traveler from the quarantine process.

Monitoring Technology:

The Stay Safe Cayman wristband is a hospital-grade, lightweight, hypo-allergenic, latex-free, and skin-friendly wristband. Washing hands and showering with the wristband on is acceptable but you should not submerge it underwater for more than a few seconds. The wristband communicates via Bluetooth to a custom mobile app on a smart phone, and creates a virtual perimeter around your quarantine location.

If the wearer goes beyond the perimeter of their quarantine location an alert will be sent to the monitoring team. Alerts will also be sent if the wristband stops communicating with the phone, or the phone with the servers, or if it is tampered with, or damaged.

Travellers who Quarantine at Residence must agree to:

• Have the residence inspected for approval prior to quarantine
• Allow access to the mobile compliance team to conduct random checks over the period of quarantine.

Quarantine At Residence Criteria For The Property

• Access to running water and electricity
• Access to bathroom facilities that are in good working order, are not shared with persons outside of the quarantining group, and provide a shower/bath, toilet and sink and a supply of hot and cold water
• Access to kitchen facilities that are not shared with any persons outside the quarantining group, with access to hot and cold water
• Adequate ventilation, with a window(s) that can be opened to allow fresh air to circulate
• Where there is a/c, there is a self-contained air-handling system, which ensures that units do not circulate air to other residences
• Access to either curb-side pickup for garbage or a central garbage
• Access for the delivery of foods and medications
• Agree to random spot checks from the compliance team by phone or in person

Airport Process

On arrival at Owen Roberts International Airport, travellers will be fitted with a Stay Safe Cayman electronic smart wristband and issued with a mobile phone running the Stay Safe Cayman app. On arrival at the quarantine at residence location, travellers simply pinpoint the location via the app.

Handling Of Items Imported By Travellers

Incoming travellers are discouraged from leaving suitcases or packages at the airport for collection by others. In order to minimise the risk of contaminated materials inside packages being imported, any items that are left at the airport on arrival are to be held for a minimum of 72 hours before being released to the public. Similarly, in order to minimise the risk to the community, items that have been brought back from overseas must not be passed to other residents during the period of quarantine.

Delivery Of Food And Supplies

While a household is in quarantine, food, medication and essential supplies should be ordered from suppliers who offer contactless payment and delivery. This means paying online or over the phone and having the delivery left outside the front door. There should be no face-to-face/in-person direct contact.

You cannot physically collect the supplies until after the person delivering has them left them in your yard or property vicinity. Wear a mask while picking up the delivery.

Delivery personnel, relatives and friends are not allowed to enter the home or have physical contact with the occupants while they are in quarantine.

Visitors

You cannot allow any individual who does not reside in your household to enter your home, or your yard space if you are physically outside of your home at the same time. This includes but is not limited to friends and family, nannies, domestic helpers, work colleagues, service providers, and delivery persons.

Quarantining With Other Household Members

If you live with other people, all members of your household are subject to the same conditions and must quarantine with you for and remain in isolation for a minimum of 14 days, after which a negative test result and sign-off by the Medical Officer of Health will be required in order for the quarantine period to end.

The mobile compliance team will visit the location before your arrival to fit their wristbands and assign them smart phones.

Quarantining In Condos Or Apartments With Communal Areas

You must stay within your geo-fencing perimeter and not use any communal areas. These include communal yards and communal pools. Using a private outdoor balcony is permitted.

Private Yards And Pools

You are permitted to enter your private yard; no visitors are allowed in the private yard when you are physically outside of your home at the same time.

Quarantine At Residence Pool And Garden Service

All regular servicing and on-site maintenance must be suspended for the duration of the quarantine period. Only emergency work that cannot possibly be postponed should be considered, and will require advance approval from the Travel Cayman Team, who will consult as necessary.

Pets

Where pets are accompanying the traveller, permission must be sought from the Department of Agriculture in advance of travel. Click here for more information

Pets accompanying the traveller, or that are already on island, and will reside in the residence of the traveller during the quarantine period are subject to the following requirements:

• Self-quarantine at a private residence is required. This must be a stand-alone, fully fenced property with NO common areas, not accessible by other persons or animals not residing at the property.
• The pet(s) must be quarantined for the entire duration of the owner’s required quarantine, and can only be allowed off the property once the owner is released from quarantine by the Chief Medical Officer.
• The Director of the Department of Agriculture or his authorised representative may inspect the pet at the property at any time during the quarantine period.

Travel/COVID-19 Insurance

All in-bound travellers will be required to attest to a statement which confirms:

1. that they possess health insurance which includes COVID-19 coverage, or
2. that they understand the financial risks they are taking, and that they have independent means to cover their medical, accommodation and travel costs

As prescribed, under existing Customs and Border Control legislation, government reserves the right to require that travellers who cannot show means to support themselves during their visit - provide a written guarantee from a sponsor, undertaking that the sponsor will be fully responsible for the costs incurred by the visitor during their stay.

In the event that you or a member of your party tests positive for COVID-19 prior to your travel, you may be required to cancel or postpone your visit.

In the event that you test positive for COVID-19 while in the Cayman Islands, you may be required to isolate yourself from the wider community, and this could lead to incurring unexpected accommodation costs. You may not be able to return home on the date that you intended.

Many annual travel insurance policies, or contracts entered into prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, do not cover COVID-19 risks. If you have an insurance policy, please check carefully that COVID-19 risks are covered.

Many private or employee health insurance policies only cover medical treatment in your home country, and do not cover expenses associated with accommodation costs and changes to travel plans. You should check that your policy covers your needs.

Quarantine At Residence Penalties

Any breach of these conditions may result in removal from the programme without notice and a requirement to complete the quarantine period in a government sponsored quarantine facility. Certain breaches of these conditions may also amount to an offence under the Public Health Law (2002 Revision) and regulations made under it relating to the control of Covid-19.

Persons in breach of these conditions may be liable to a fine of CI$1,000 and six months’ imprisonment.

Please note that the constitute conditions of quarantine provided for by the Medical Officer of Health for the purposes of regulations made under the Public Health Law (2002 Revision) relating to the control of COVID-19.

Contact Numbers

To receive assistance or if you have questions or concerns while quarantining at home, contact the Travel Support Team via email at TravelSupport@gov.ky or by calling 945 0556 or 946 7858.

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Source

(1) https://www.exploregov.ky/faqs/covid-19-quarantine-info