The Government of Bermuda today moved to clarify the changes to exemptions to the supervised quarantine for non-immunised travellers.
Initially, there were seven (7) exemption categories that were announced.
However, to further reduce the risk of new coronavirus variants which are impacting many countries around the world, the Government reduced the categories for those to be exempt from supervised quarantine.
It was the Government’s original plan to allow persons in the following 4 categories to quarantine at home:
• Parents traveling with their minor children under the age of 4;
• Seniors aged 65 years and older; and
• Parents who are travelling for education purposes, ie, taking their children to school overseas.
• Bermudians who left the island before 6 May, 2021, returning home who were unable to be immunised overseas.
As of 20 June, 2021, only the following three categories of travellers will be eligible for exemption from mandatory quarantine in a designated facility:
• Unaccompanied minors aged 17 years or younger on the date arriving in Bermuda;
• Medically vulnerable certified by a licensed physician, psychologist or local health insurer; and
• Caregivers of medically vulnerable travellers.
The persons in the above category will still be required to quarantine at home and will have checks to ensure they remain in quarantine.
As announced by the Government on Tuesday (June 15) evening, Bermudians who left the island between the periods of 1 July, 2020 and 6 May, 2021, who are required to quarantine at a designated facility, the cost of their stay will be covered by the Government.
This mostly includes college and university students who are returning home for the summer. These may also include persons that left the country between the period of time when the airport resumed service on 1 July, 2020 and the announcement of the details of supervised quarantine namely 6 May, 2021.
Examples:
• A Bermuda Resident who travelled to the UK for schooling in January who is returning back to Bermuda, will not have to pay for supervised quarantine.
• A parent who is living overseas with their child (having left the island after 1 July, 2020) who is attending a sporting academy, who is returning back to Bermuda, will not have to pay for supervised quarantine.
Additionally, given the reduction of exemption categories mentioned above, and given that there may have been residents off island at the time of the announcement who believed they were exempt from supervised quarantine, the Government will cover the cost of those persons who fall into this category.
This refers specifically to persons who made their reservations between 6 May, 2021 and 15 June 2021 for travel on or before 19 June, 2021.
Examples:
• A senior citizen who left the island on 10 June, and is set to return on 23 June. This senior would not have expected to pay for hotel quarantine, and the Government will meet the cost in this limited circumstance as the person travelled prior to the change coming into effect.
• A parent travelling with a child for educational purposes who left the island before 20 June, 2021. This parent would not have expected to pay for hotel quarantine, and the Government will meet the cost in this limited circumstance as the person travelled prior to the change coming into effect.
The aforementioned persons not required to pay for supervised quarantine will need to provide proof of their circumstances when completing the travel authorisation. All other persons who are not exempt from supervised quarantine will be required to cover the cost of their accommodation.
There are seven (7) approved quarantine locations:
• Coco Reef Resort
• Grotto Bay Beach Resort & Spa
• Hamilton Princess & Beach Club
• Willowbank Resort
• Coral Beach and Tennis Club
• Rosemont Guest Suites
• Fairmont Southampton (Available after June 24)
Travellers arriving on Sunday, 20 June 2021 or after will need to follow the new Travel Authorisation process where they will be asked a series of questions to determine the category of traveller they fall into. The new process can be found at: https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-travellers.
Any traveller requiring a quarantine hotel must:
• cover the costs for the hotel stay;
• choose from one of the seven participating properties; and
• book their hotel in advance of arrival in Bermuda.
Each traveller required to quarantine at a hotel should have a confirmed booking at a government-authorised hotel when applying for a Traveller Authorisation.