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No swabs, no isolation, no traffic lights and no forms… Jersey has today thrown open its doors to all tourists, regardless of vaccination status and travel history.
As of this morning (Monday 7 February), covid-related travel restrictions are no longer in force at the island’s airport and harbour.
It means that, regardless of travel history or vaccination status, arriving passengers will no longer have to be tested or isolate upon arrival. They are also no longer required to fill in a pre-departure travel form.
It’s the second major step in Ministers’ recently announced ‘De-escalation Plan’ to phase out all covid restrictions on the island by 31 March, when people with covid will no longer be legally required to isolate.
Last week, the law requiring hospitality businesses to collect customers’ contact details, and the law requiring that islanders wear masks in indoor public spaces fell away.
However, Ports of Jersey is still advising that people passing through the airport or harbour wear face masks. Airlines are also requiring travellers to wear their masks while on the plane.
Economic Development Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham said the end of travel restrictions, which he said had followed advice from STAC and took into consideration the “much lower levels of risk in Jersey”, was a “big move in the right direction”.
“I know many families have travel plans booked for over the half-term break and will immediately benefit from this suspension. Additionally, it will make it much easier for those students returning home from university,” he said, going on to thank staff and islanders for their cooperation in making the previous Safer Travel Policy a success that received “international recognition”.
Ahead of today’s change, Visit Jersey had already begun promoting the island’s “unrestricted” status to potential visitors.
Pictured: An email from Visit Jersey sent on the day the De-escalation Plan was announced.
Today also marks the end of contact tracing in education settings.
Instead, children and young people from pre-school age (three to four years old) and above are being asked to take daily lateral flow tests before going to nursery, school or college.
Children below pre-school age are asked to have a lateral flow test twice weekly.
The length of the isolation period for any child who returns a positive result will depend on their age.
Pictured: The isolation periods stipulated by Government.
Explaining the rationale for the change, Deputy Medical Officer for Health, Dr Ivan Muscat MBE, said: "Taking a LFT before leaving home is more likely to result in identifying covid-19 positives in students and staff, rather than one-off PCR tests. This change will also mean the faster detection of positive cases and replaces the need for contact tracing because of ongoing universal screening."
Health Minister Deputy Richard Renouf added: "I understand that contact tracing in educational settings has been disruptive for many children, parents and school staff. Replacing this with a requirement for all children and young people going to pre-school or higher, to test themselves before they go, means that positive cases will be identified quickly and effectively.
"I'd like to remind parents and children that if you have a positive LFT, you must isolate and book a confirmatory PCR test. Please ensure you keep up with daily LFTs by signing up to the free Home Testing Programme on gov.je/testing.
"Please also be reminded that maintaining excellent vaccination coverage in the island is fundamental for the de-escalation of covid-19 measures, so please ensure you and your families are fully vaccinated so that we can maintain this de-escalation, and to protect yourself, teachers, and classmates at school."
KEY DATES: What covid rules are changing and when?
All rules to be scrapped in months under new covid plan
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