Photo: Courtesy of @flyingpuck 

Anguilla Successfully Contains the COVID-19 Cluster and Reopens Its Borders

Beginning on May 25, 2021, Anguilla welcomed back tourists following the April 22, 2021, shut down due to a detected COVID-19 cluster. 

As of May 6, 2021, 66 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Anguilla, with all of the cases "linked to the cluster of COVID-19 cases first identified on 21 April," according to a May 6 statement from Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Anguilla's governor, and Ellis Webster, the country's premier (travelpulse.com) 

However, there have been no additional cases linked to the cluster since May 10, and as of May 20, there were only two COVID-19 cases in Anguilla (beatcovid19.ai). 

According to Quincia Gumbs-Marie, parliamentary secretary for tourism, "We acted swiftly and implemented a number of proactive measures to manage and contain this cluster of infections, along with an expanded vaccination outreach. The result is that we are confident we can now safely reopen while protecting the health of our residents and visitors" (travelpulse.com). 

Before the recent cluster outbreak, Anguilla only had 23 imported COVID-19 cases, no deaths, and zero community spread since the start of the pandemic (travelnoire.com). According to Webster, the initial cluster case was thought to have been brought into Anguilla through illegal reentry (beatcovid19.ai). 

What You Need to Know if You Are Traveling to Anguilla 

According to the Caribbean Journal: 

• If you are fully vaccinated, you will only have to stay in place for seven days, and you do not need proof of health insurance.  

• All visitors, vaccinated and unvaccinated, will still have to submit a negative PCR test result within three to five days before arrival on the island.  
• Multi-generational families and groups with a mix of unvaccinated and vaccinated people will have to stay in place for 10 or 14 days.  
•  All travelers still need to apply for entry approval to Anguilla. 
• All of these protocols will run through the end of June, after which time Anguilla will require all those who are eligible for vaccination to be vaccinated to enter the island.  
• Beginning July 1, vaccinated visitors will not have to be tested on arrival (though a pre-arrival test will still be required), and they will not need to stay in place or pay entry fees, among other changes. 

Sources: 

beatcovid19.ai 

caribjournal.com 

travelnoire.com 

travelpulse.com