Basseterre, Saint Kitts (14 March, 2020) – In the interest of protecting our borders and the health and wellness of our citizens and residents the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis hereby advises that it has revised its travel advisory in response to the rapid spread of the novel corona virus, (now dubbed COVID-19), particularly given that (a) the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that the virus has now become a pandemic; and (b) several CARICOM Member States have now reported cases – all of which have been imported into the region. In light of these developments the Federal Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis announces the following:

1) Travel advisories remain in effect for persons travelling from China, Italy, Iran, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

2) Travel advisories have now been issued for the United Kingdom (UK), France, Germany and Spain.

3) Persons intending to travel from these aforementioned destinations are advised not to travel to Saint Kitts and Nevis at this time. In the event that such travellers arrive in our Federation they will be subjected to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period following screening at the port of entry. Such quarantine of passengers means that their movements will be confined to a designated facility.

4) The Federal Government advises all citizens and legal residents returning from any of the aforementioned countries that they too will be placed on a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine regimen, wherein their movements will
be restricted.

5) The Federal Government reserves the right to screen any individual arriving into the Federation, particularly during this WHO declared pandemic.

The Federal Ministry of Health and the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis emphasize that, to date, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19. The Government also advises our citizens and resident to remain calm and to follow
all of the advisories that have been issued regarding hand hygiene, social distancing, and general infection control and prevention. The Government reminds all to rely only on official sources of information on COVID-19, rather than subjecting oneself to fear and propaganda. Persons seeking information on COVID-19 are advised to contact the Ministry of Health, Bladen Commercial Development, Basseterre or call (869) 465-2521.

The Government pledges to keep all citizens and residents informed as we do everything in our power to manage this global public health challenge and minimize its impact on our people.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
March 14th, 2020