Postby ruffrider27 » June 30th, 2016, 3:21 pm
TWO passengers who travelled from Trinidad to Jamaica on Monday, were turned back at the Norman Manley airport, after failing to show proof of yellow fever vaccination.
The Jamaican Gleaner reported on Tuesday that the passengers arrived on Caribbean Airlines (CAL). The newspaper reported: “Jamaica has carried out its threat to deny entry to the island persons who could not prove that they were vaccinated against the yellow fever virus by turning back nine passengers who arrived in the island yesterday. Up to press time last night, another eight were being quarantined at a hotel in Kingston. Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton has confirmed the matter, saying that five of the passengers who were from Trinidad and Tobago arrived on Caribbean Airlines while 12 came in from Panama, on Copa Airlines. Four of the 12 were included in the nine who were sent back.”
The minister was quoted as saying : “We have to take yellow fever threat seriously, it's a very dangerous virus. We are following the guidelines of the WHO (World Health Organisation).” CAL's Head of Corporate Communications Dionne Ligoure told the Express on Thursday: “Our records for Tuesday June 28 shows that two persons were denied entry into Jamaica with respect to not having the relevant documentation for yellow fever. The nationalities, one person was Barbadian and the other was Trinidadian.”
Last week, Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Health issued a public statement advising all passengers travelling to Caribbean and Latin American countries, Asia and Africa to be aware of the vaccination requirements of the country to which they travel. The ministry stated: “
Neither the yellow fever vaccination nor the international immunization card is required for travel to North American and European Countries e.g. the United States of America, Canada and England. Some persons may be exempt from the yellow fever vaccine; such persons may obtain an exemption letter from the County Medical Officers of Health.” On Wednesday, CAL issued a similar release. Ligoure stated: “ To ensure an uninterrupted, experience, Caribbean Airlines is recommending that all persons intending to travel , ensure their vaccinations are up to date. Persons travelling are advised to carry their internal immunization card with proof of the yellow fever and other vaccinations when travelling to Caribbean countries, Latin American countries, African Countries, Asian countries.”
She added: “If someone's scheduled flight is transiting a country where a particular vaccine is required for entry, although it is not their final destination, the traveller should ensure that their immunizations for the transit country is up to date.” Information can be obtained from the relevant Ministry of Health, Embassy or Consulate of the country to which passengers are travelling before their travel date.
Ligoure also said: “Caribbean Airlines is a customer centric organisation and we have our systems in place to deal with this but the onus as the release indicates is on the individual to ensure that they have the relevant documentation.” Jamaica's Ministry of Health earlier last month advised that persons without certificates of vaccination who have visited or transited countries affected by yellow fever within six days of arriving in Jamaica will be refused entry by the Ministry of Health at the island's ports. As a result, a decision was also made to prevent entry to those exposed to the disease and to quarantine Jamaicans who have visited affected areas and who were not vaccinated, the Gleaner reported. So far, there have been no reports of yellow fever in Jamaica.
