Three weeks after opening up its border to international travellers St. Vincent and the Grenadines has said that there is a chance the country may ban travellers from the United States due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
According to health officials in the island, the country recorded 12 new cases of COVID-19 linked to a recent American Airlines (AA) flight.
Health officials say only one of its new cases was not linked to AA flight 945, which saw 155 persons arriving in the island.
A second flight that arrived on the island on Saturday (July 19) was said to have brought with it four more cases.
St Vincent and the Grenadines currently requires arriving passengers to undergo a medical screening which includes a PCR test and a 14-day quarantine upon entry.
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves stated that come July 25 the country would be tightening entry protocols.
New protocols mean that arriving passengers who come with a negative antibody test will not be required to undergo PCR testing on arrival.
Gonsalves further encouraged persons to comply with the protocols put in place, as there is a possibility that they will be fined for breaking the rules.
He went on to say that if these protocols are not followed, the government will be pushed to suspend flights coming from the United States until things are under control.
