Cayman rated amber on UK traffic light entry system

| 07/05/2021 | 152 Comments
Heathrow Airport

(CNS): Hopes for Caymanians travelling to the UK that they would not be required to quarantine on arrival have been dashed after the Cayman Islands has been given an amber rating under Britain’s new traffic light rating system which assesses countries as red, amber and green (RAG) for inbound travel. The Governor’s Office said it had fed data related to the local COVID-19 situation and the vaccination rates into the UK’s Department of Transport but Cayman, like the rest of the Caribbean, has still been placed on the amber list. In a statement from the office, Governor Martyn Roper said the status of countries will be under constant review and he will keep in touch with London in an effort to green-light Cayman.

The Cayman Islands’ own tight quarantine and isolation measures have kept the community coronovirus free and more than 50% of the population has received both shots of the vaccine. But anyone travelling from here to the UK will still need to self-isolate for ten days when the new traffic light system comes into effect on 17 May.

“Although this may come as disappointing news to some, this is the first iteration of the red, amber and green lists and they will be reviewed every three weeks,” the governor said in a statement released Friday morning. “Given Cayman’s excellent response to the COVID-19 crisis I am hopeful that Cayman will move onto the green list at the review point. My office will remain in close contact with the UK as the list evolves.”

Travellers also have the option to pay for a test-to-release scheme on day five, where a negative result ends self-isolation early, the release noted.

Only 12 countries have been placed on this first green list, including Israel and Gibraltar, where there are very high vaccination rates. Australia, Brunei, Iceland, New Zealand, Portugal and Singapore along with a number of other remote island territories are also on the green list.

The latest information was revealed by the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps as part of the British government’s changes that will allow their own citizens to go on holiday this summer and avoid a lengthy quarantine on return from some destinations.


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Comments (152)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Caribbean islands ‘likely to be added to Green List next month’ – as travel bosses say Greece, Italy and Spain are also safe because less than 1 per cent of arrivals from there test positive for Covid

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9563695/Travel-bosses-urge-Government-add-Greece-Italy-Spain-green-list.html

  2. Anonymous says:

    On the Amber list means that you do NOT have to isolate in government or private hotels for 10 days. Isolation can now take place at a private home as long as you do not come into contact with others, or if that is unavoidable, they isolate with you.
    Also, you can elect to do the 5 day test for release option which means you take a private test on the fifth day and if it returns negative, you may leave isolation with care. You then take another test of day 8-10 to ensure Covid by is not t present.
    Check out gov.uk test for release details.

  3. Anonymous says:

    We’re flying Wednesday. ($100 for two hour trip to Miami, $375 for Miami to Cayman. I don’t see how Cayman Air can lose money.) Have gathered up original vaccination records, Travel Cayman approval of travel and quarantine location, took our tests this morning and hoping they come back by Wednesday, and allowed 6 hours in Miami so we can collect our bags from American and hump them over to the Cayman Air counter to recheck. Have ordered food from Hurley’s at massive expense to be delivered in advance and are hoping the refrigerator is fixed by then since the replacement parts have been in Customs awaiting clearance for two weeks. We’re assuming our papers are good enough because no one will say for certain. What joy.

    • Anonymous says:

      You might as well stay home- so negative. As the saying goes, when in Rome do as the Romans.

    • Anonymous says:

      Why are you coming to Cayman?..I’m sure there are lots of other covid infested places with less rules that you could visit..Cayman is not open for vacationers and yes we are expensive. You should have done your research before leaving on your $100 Southwest flight to Miami.

      Instead of criticizing Cayman Airways you should be damn grateful the Government is operating it twice a week so that ungrateful people like you can still come here.Why would they operate a flight for $100 each way when they can only operate two flights. They have to pay their cost too. Try chartering a Leer Jet next time. I’m sure you will find that less expensive.
      Have you heard of economies of scale?

      Of course, Hurley’s is more expensive than what you are used. We have to import everything here and a small island with large manufacturing or agriculture. Your situation with Customs is no different that any of us go through no matter what country you are in. They will do it in their own time.

      I haven’t left this island since January 2020 and I fully expect that when I travel again that things will not be the same as they were back then. I would never travel to the USA and expect the Government of that country to change their rules to suit me.

      Stop complaining and be grateful that after you are done with quarantine that you can enjoy the covid free island that we have fought so hard to keep that way so that when ungrateful people like come to visit you can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Sorry that you have to pay more and be inconvenienced just because of our sacrifices to try to keep our island safe.

  4. Anon says:

    Cayman – the government – or the CIAA and CAA need a plan B.

    We can’t and shouldn’t put all our ‘eggs’ in one basket. Isn’t it time to diversity our visitors anyway? Let’s target alternative jurisdictions who aren’t mad about enforcing quarantines in their own country one and half year on from the start of the pandemic…..

    The Scandinavian countries seem the most reasonable, perhaps they might like send planes from their general and commercial aviation sector out here with long stay tourists. We might also like to appeal to countries in the Southern Hemisphere such as Argentina and Brazil.

    In any event we have many condo and villa owners who have already been traveling out here on the regular ‘repatriation’ flights and this source of business needs to be given a commercial value. As long as the current demand is covering Cayman Airways costs that is very goos start.

    • Anonymous says:

      Brazil? LOL. Yeah great idea.

    • Anonymous says:

      Covering Cayman Airways costs?????
      Nothing covers Cayman Airways costs.
      They just cost us money.

      • Anonymous says:

        Be damn grateful you have Cayman Airways..Right now without it you would have to fly to London to get to Miami..or charter a private jet…guess you got the money for that..

  5. Anonymous says:

    What exactly is the criteria used in the classification process?

    • Anonymous says:

      From an earlier post –

      An online publication for airport operators states the following:

      “The factors that will be assessed to determine the colour code of a particular country will include the rate of infection, the prevalence of Covid-19 variants and the percentage of the population that has been vaccinated.

      It will also consider the country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing.”

      https://www.airport-technology.com/news/uk-government-traffic-light-system-classify-travel/

      We clearly fail on percentage of people that have been vaccinated, availability of genomic sequencing, and possibly some of the other criteria as well.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Look like 1st July for Borders starting to open back up. Once vaccines run out of date what else can be done. UK will update some of the OS territories to green later in May early June. BA have full schedule marked up for July so let’s see what happens.

    • Anonymous says:

      BA have had a full schedule of flights marked up all year.
      There called ghost flights

    • Anonymous says:

      US is opening up, too. Covid numbers are falling with the increase of people getting vaccinated. Everything should be open for July 4. Summer is going to be a big travel season for the US- road trips and air travel.

  7. Anonymous says:

    We would be in the green group if it wasn’t for the pathetic locals who won’t get vaccinated. I was in a taxi home last night on smb, asked the Jamaican driver if he’s had his jabs. He said no. I asked him why not… he said his doctor told him it’s dangerous. I said who’s your doctor? He said ‘well actually I don’t have a doctor here but I don’t like needles so not getting it’. Absolute disgrace.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sadly, and I know I’m being sterotypical, many Jamaican’s aren’t getting it. Just ask around, that’s what I’ve discovered my little circle of people I’ve asked about it.
      This is why we must ensure no jab, no work permit.

      • Anonymous says:

        It would seem that Cayman politicians – supposedly representative of our best and brightest- are reluctant to get it. 5 of the PACT had to be shamed into it. If that’s representative of the Cayman elite think throwing rocks at Jamaicans may be a little misplaced.

      • Anonymous says:

        not the sharpest tools in the box….

      • Anonymous says:

        sadly its not just an outside issue. I’m at my wits end trying to convince co workers that No, the vaccine does not contain micro trackers for Bill gates to follow you.
        You’re not that important and even if he wanted to… your phone is already easily trackable and you voluntarily carry that around.

        The fox news crowd in this country are a damn plague in and of themselves

  8. Anonymous says:

    Seems simple to me, why would you want to be on the green list to encourage people to look at this as a holiday destination when clearly our borders are shut until August. When we have an opening and visitors policy, that is the time to be on the green list.

  9. Pastor Alfredo says:

    When the governor “fed data” to the UK it was with the sole intention of keeping the border closed a couple more weeks in order to coerce more people to have the vaccine.

    We have a greater vaccination rate than Portugal, zero community transmission and a hard border that has been closed for the best part of 18 months. Given that CIG don’t publish the data we can only surmise where the 500 or so non community positive infections that Cayman has had actually came from. One of only a handful of destinations are posted as arrivals at ORIA. Honduras, Miami, Kingston, London. Given the rate of infection and death that anyone can look up on the internet I’m willing to surmise that London, which had by far the worst infection rate of these four, is the primary source of those travelers who have tested positive. The fact that the UK is now telling Cayman residents that they need to quarantine on arrival in London, presumably due to the infection tally that they’ve sent in our direction, is farcical. The UK has one of the worst infection/death rates on the planet.

    It has nothing to do with the vaccination rate. Portugal has vaccinated fewer than 30% of its population and has nearly 30,000 active cases of Corona virus. Anyone who tries to conflate this decision as a reflection on our “low vaccine uptake” needs to be shot down in short order. Cayman has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. Every single person here could have had it by now if they wanted to. The fact that they haven’t has clearly had no impact whatsoever on today’s decision. If vaccine rate was a factor then there’s no way Portugal makes the cut.

    This is simply another attempt to coerce people who don’t want the jab into having it.

    Just open the fricking border and let people who have relationships, family, desires and ambitions outside of these 100 square miles get on with their lives.

    Pastor Alfredo

  10. Anonymous says:

    How about a publicly published report from Travel Cayman/Government/Governor’s office showing who, as in returning resident, work permit holders, those with property here, students, those going shopping and partying, that have been allowed to travel and the reason why. Not all reasons given for travel have been truthful. Others have been sat around patiently not been allowed to see any family in UK since 2019. And now Amber list means another NO.

    • Anonymous says:

      A report is not worth anything! What are you the travel police? There is no reason needed to travel and its none of yours or CIG’s business why we travel!.

      If we want to go to Miami to get drunk and party then…We can!
      If we want to go shopping…We can!
      If we need to go for medical…We can!

      Get a life!….Thats right you can’t because you want to stay in this bubble for ever!

      • Anonymous says:

        But, if tourists want to come there to get drunk and party, go shopping or medical, people up in arms. How dare we want to enter the bubble and possibly risk the health of the people.

      • Anonymous says:

        Not exactly ‘essential’ or ‘repatriation’ flights or reasons then!

      • Anonymous says:

        LOL No such word as ‘can’t’ my dear. Life is full of substance in Miami LOL Try visiting somewhere else to expand your mind. Then you may have a life too! 🙂

      • Anonymous says:

        The poster never mentioned medical, believe that would be classed as ‘essential’.

    • Anonymous says:

      “Shopping” Where do you live?

    • Anonymous says:

      A bit dramatic. There is no such requirement (or voluntary submission form) for providing travel reasons off the island. Almost anyone who can buy a ticket, can travel anywhere, just don’t expect entry/re-entry without following compliant federal testing and isolations, since most places have their own version of emergency medical orders in effect. If you don’t want to go to the UK, that’s probably for some other reason.

  11. Anonymous says:

    It’s bad when California which was one of the worst states for covid is doing better than Cayman in getting vaccinations done and is about to reach herd immunity..Let that sink in..and we have had more than an abundance of vaccines since January. We have failed miserably due to false claims, conspiracy theories, and just plain ignorance. Come on Cayman, we should be much further along than this. We all need to do our part to get out of this mess.

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-covid-restrictions-vaccine-increase/

    • Annon says:

      If travellers from the uk have had both vaccines and have as test that is negative why can they not enter cayman without going into quarantine????

      • Anonymous says:

        Because they could still carry and transmit the virus.

      • Anon says:

        Because they can still catch and carry and spread the virus and because the duration of the so called immunity from the vaccine is unknown. See Pfizer’s own vaccine fact sheet. In addition, there are cases of infections undergoing treatment despite these patients having so called ‘immunity’ by vaccine. Furthermore as the Astra Zeneca vaccine has been pulled in jurisdictions due to the scientific basis for blood vessel damage (via its modulation of action on ACE2 receptors which when normally activated reduce blood pressure), blood clotting and stroke it may have lost relevance. Finally, the vaccinated may be affected by variants. There are studies that mono-action vaccines make the variant situation worse for everyone including the vaccinated.

    • Anonymous says:

      Mind your own business! People have to make their own decisions. And the last thing we need is to be compared to s…hole California! I suggest you go there to live.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Well done ppm, pact and governor…..the usual cig incompetence….zzz
    Will keep asking….what is plan b if you don’t get to your impossible 80% vaccination rate?????

    • Anonymous says:

      Do your part and stop bitching and go get your vaccination done..Be a part of the solution instead of spending time complaining..

    • Everyone responsibility says:

      Why is this the CS fault. It is everyone responsibility including yours.

  13. Anonymous says:

    LMAO. When we were importing Covid from the U.K. Some asked for those flights to stop, but many here argued it’s the Motherland. Mother doesn’t seem to care much about her kids.

    • Anonymous says:

      Or maybe, because it is focused on the Brits taking their vacations they don’t want people to look at the green list and want to go there. Imagine if there were a bunch of people from the UK wanting to come to one of their overseas territories and they would have to be told they could not come. That would cause us more problems than just staying quiet and letting the UK summer travel season pass by.

      Unless we want to open the boarders.

    • Say it like it is. says:

      6.26pm Where is your evidence that Covid was coming on the BA flights, the recent cases have occurred when there have been no BA flights, so where do you think they are coming from -the Brac?.

      • Anonymous says:

        Wasn’t talking about recent cases! The Motherland argument was made mid 2020. Perhaps you’ve heard of the U.K. variant? Probably not!

    • Anonymous says:

      Her ‘Kids’ have not been over keen to take up on the free vaccine that she sent them!
      Her ‘Kids’ are not keen to receive foreign visitors. Bit of a one way street as far as I can see.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Australia just announced they are not opening their borders until at least mid 2022

    • Anonymous says:

      Crikey!

    • Anonymous says:

      and…..what?

      • Anonymous says:

        So why have the UK put them on a green list? Look at their vaccination rate too – terrible. So where is the logic in the UKs green list?

        • Anonymous says:

          It’s purely to do with vaccination and case rates – nothing to do with what individual countries require. And Australia’s borders aren’t closed, it’s just that there are very few flights and anyone entering the country has to enter a very strict quarantine for 2 weeks.

          • Anonymous says:

            BS. They have far more cases than we do, and their vaccination rate is just over 10% versus our 60%. Very few flights and everyone entering has to do 2 weeks quarantine. You mean, just like Cayman.

        • Anonymous says:

          It makes perfect sense that they’d be on the green list if still locked down. The green list of got travel INTO the UK. Australia had it under control and is therefore welcome to visit UK.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Stop testing people on arrival when they are going into quarantine. Test after 14 days. This is a result of us having continual cases, when in reality they are all in isolation. WE have had no cases in months, travelers have.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Reciprocity. That’s why we are on the amber list.

  17. 1234 says:

    Reciprocity. That’s why we are on the amber list.

  18. Anonymous says:

    An online publication for airport operators states the following:

    “The factors that will be assessed to determine the colour code of a particular country will include the rate of infection, the prevalence of Covid-19 variants and the percentage of the population that has been vaccinated.

    It will also consider the country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing.”

    https://www.airport-technology.com/news/uk-government-traffic-light-system-classify-travel/

    We clearly fail on percentage of people that have been vaccinated, availability of genomic sequencing, and possibly some of the other criteria as well.

  19. Anonymous says:

    The UK is the last country to suggest a 3 stage colour list. What is the Uk’s colour, Red?

    Advice for all you ‘I want to travel”, “I need to get off this rock” stay put. Enjoy our country without the mass of tourists for a little bit longer, thus helping to sustain the economy and ultimately continuing to protect yourselves, your families and the country at large.

    • Anonymous says:

      Easy to say if all your family are here. Some of us would like to see immediate family members that we have not seen since 2019 (yes Caymanians do live elsewhere).

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes! I’m a Caymanian living overseas and I haven’t been able to see my family since pandemic started. I don’t have an extra two weeks to quarantine if I visit them and they don’t have an extra two weeks to quarantine, on their return, if they visit me.

        Also, people need to be able to travel easier for medical care that can’t be provided in Cayman.

        Opening borders is NOT just about tourism.

      • BeaumontZodecloun says:

        It’s not easy for anyone to say. It’s about making sound choices for the betterment of those around you and yourself.

      • Anonymous says:

        So what is stopping them from coming to see you?

        • Anonymous says:

          Two damn weeks of quarantine. That takes up the time they’d be able to visit.

          • Anonymous says:

            Priorities I guess…

            • Anonymous says:

              Priority – like work! Not everyone can afford unpaid leave to quarantine both sides. With flights only every 2 weeks from U.K. = Minimum 5 weeks vacation to get less than a 2 week visit with my parents. We can’t get vaccinated in U.K. yet as we are under 40 & no pre existing issues.
              Cost $1,000 each for air travel plus $600 for testing and a thousand £ more in unpaid leave.

      • Anonymous says:

        Jeez. Grow a pair and deal with it. Are you one of the snowflakes ?

      • Anonymous says:

        So get on a plane to Miami and go where you want.

      • Anon says:

        There is nothing stopping you. There are regular flights thanks to Cayman Airways.

    • Anonymous says:

      You’re clearly not up to date with the UK vaccination and infection rate. Or grateful!

  20. Anonymous says:

    We need to reduce our Covid risk by requiring people leaving the country and also those entering the country to show proof of vaccination at least 3 weeks before crossing our border.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Great we’re going to be stuck here for another summer due to the antivax morons.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Failure to require vaccination with an approved vaccine as a condition of travel either way across our borders + low vaccination rate = amber rating

  23. Anonymous says:

    When our ministers don’t bother getting the vaccine until they’ve ‘done research’ then what chance have we got? They might not want to leave the island but I damn well do.

    • Anonymous says:

      Please remember you CAN IN FACT LEAVE I don’t like the conditions either, it’s a pain, but you CAN still travel.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, and then have to quarantine in the Mother Country for 10 days and quarantine when I get back here. You may have unlimited annual leave entitlement at your place of work but I don’t.

      • Anonymous says:

        How can we when BA has not announced flights & we can’t flight back through the USA from Europe!!

      • Anonymous says:

        What a stupid comment. How many people do you imagine can take a month in quarantine?

        • Anonymous says:

          It’s called remote work (If possible). Most companies allow it and I know lots of persons that have travelled and did the quarantine while working remotely.

    • Anonymous says:

      Too busy performing exorcisms on children.

    • Anonymous says:

      There is nothing preventing you leaving, even with limited flights they are open to anyone.

  24. Anonymous says:

    That’s absolutely ridiculous. The governor’s office has dropped the ball big time. Who wants to bet the data they “fed in” was positive travellers in isolation and the UK system looks at the number as a % of population.? So dumb.

    • Anonymous says:

      The world looks at the positive numbers listed whether in isolation or not. Covid free would have meant no cases on the island. None….none in isolation and none in the community. If every place listed only the cases in isolation or quarantine, their numbers would look fantastic, also.

      • Anonymous says:

        We import COVID into isolation, despite everyone arriving having a negative test.

        Stop people arriving for 3 weeks and problem solved. No COVID

        • Anonymous says:

          How about we don’t process them through immigration until they finish quarantine – then they are not in the country for the purposes of the statistics.

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you saying he should lie?
      He’s not a politician you know!

    • Anonymous says:

      There isn’t any mandate for travel on/off the island – if there was, likely to be upgraded to green based on the UK’s equation.

    • Anon says:

      Grant Shapps….seems to be the key or not as the case may be. I’m not holding out much hope.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Our useless governor’s office had ONE job…

    Pathetic.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Roper may be seen to have failed in this important first step to a limited opening , by seeing Cayman is Amber-listed with countries such as Haiti ,Papua New Guinea and Uganda. If our infection rate is 0.83% since March 2020, I fail to see why we are amber at this stage. So much for this great air-bridge alliance show that has been thrown since last year. For his sake, I do hope we get to the green list at the first review.

    • Anonymous says:

      Given that every positive case here is in isolation and unable to travel to the UK our effective infection rate for the purposes of the UK is zero. Governor’s office clearly massively messed up.

      • Anonymous says:

        Not true – all of the party animals going to Miami and coming back infected pose a risk that the virus will escape quarantine and result in community spread. That is what has happened in other countries with more strict quarantine protocols like Australia and New Zealand. Think of those who are already waiting trial from breaking quarantine. The next one may infect a lot of people.

    • Anon says:

      It seems to me the Governor was more helpful when the PPM were in power.

  27. Anonymous says:

    We will NOT be placed on the green list until our abysmal vaccination rate goes up.

    • Anonymous says:

      Nothing to do with vaccination rate. Vac rate for most of these green countries worse than ours. Combination of politics and infection rates – and I guess they are counting the infected people in quarantine.

  28. Anonymous says:

    Thanks to all the vaccine hold outs we are not able to get on a green list.

  29. Anonymous says:

    UK can’t green light if we don’t attain herd immunity. Responsible people who have no issue with being vaccinated are being penalised because of ignorance of the rest.

  30. Anonymous says:

    I trust that when the Governor “fed data” to the UK he did highlight the fact that 100% of our Covid cases were returning travellers in isolation rather than cases in the community and didn’t just fill in an online form with raw numbers…..

    • Anonymous says:

      It’s because of the vaccination rate

      • Anonymous says:

        nope, most of those on the list have lower rates of vaccination than Cayman notably Portugal, Australia, New Zealand…….

      • Anonymous says:

        So why are Iceland, Brunei, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Faroe Islands on the list when their vaccination rates are a fraction of Cayman’s – between 1.8% and 14.9% compared to our 50.1%.

    • Bo says:

      I trust that you will return to school and try to finish this time.

  31. Anonymous says:

    It would be interesting to see the vaccine percentage rates per the population of those green light countries .

  32. Anonymous says:

    Caymanians shoot themselves in the foot on a daily basis.

    • Anonymous says:

      Why?

    • Anonymous says:

      It’s the doings of the Governors office, not Caymanians.

      • Anonymous says:

        Ah, it’s the god fearing Caymanians that think the vaccine is the devil’s work. They don’t get vaccinated so we all get punished.

      • anon says:

        6.17pm So who got us the BA airbridge flights for Cayman students, who got us all the free vaccines, who got us “local fee rates at UK universities for Cayman students?.

        • Anon says:

          Many things were possible when Hong Kong was given back in terms of benefits for all other Overseas Territories where student populations are negligible in comparison. I believe it might be the first time we have gotten anything ‘free’ from the UK but then we have paid through our noses for things like their helicopters and maybe expensive regiment equipment from the UK will be next. The UK took its duty to repatriate very seriously and allocated a budget early on for air bridge and other flights to get Brits back to where they needed to be so nothing particularly special for Cayman I’m afraid.

  33. Anonymous says:

    The Countries on the green list have closed borders and are not taking tourists. Lol

    • Anonymous says:

      Not all are closed only New Zealand and Australia

      • Anonymous says:

        Only way to travel to Tristan Da Cunha is by boat from South Africa. So meaningless to have them on Green List

    • Anonymous says:

      1:42pm…..not true at all. Iceland is open to visitors and advertising to attract them! I’m actually considering going there this summer.

      Vaccinated (or had Covid) travelers do not have to pre-test and just test on arrival…..no quarantine.

      Unvaccinated travelers test before boarding flight and again on arrival….5-6 days of quarantine, test and released if negative..

      https://www.icelandair.com/blog/iceland-is-open-faq/

  34. Anonymous says:

    Probably due to all the asinine rhetoric about not taking the vaccine.

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