Jamaica’s Tourism Minister has declared the country ready to meet the coronavirus testing demands for people who are travellers to the United States now that they (the demands) – that travellers to the US must present a negative test result before departure - have come into full effect. Travellers, on arrival, will then be quarantined for 14 days.

Previously there were concerns that travellers from Canada were not able to secure testing there. Now, however, Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, says that the infrastructure has been bolstered to meet the demand for WHO (World Health Organisation) COVID-19 virus testing.

"All visitors who come to Jamaica will have access to approved testing arrangements that will, he says, “in turn, enable them to meet the requirements of their respective countries for re-entry." Testing requirements were previously introduced by the Canadian and UK governments to facilitate entry or to avoid self-quarantine.

With a special task force in place, there have been great improvements to the testing framework, with Mr Bartlett declaring: "The task force has done a lot of work, including taking steps to assess and determine the capacity to respond to the need for testing of all visitors going back to their country.

“I am pleased to say that that work is completed." He also said that they are now able to assist in securing accreditation and resources for labs to do the necessary COVID testing, with facilities now in place at all of Jamaica’s major hotels.

He added: “Furthermore transportation arrangements are also in place to facilitate the movement of visitors to the closest testing centre, if one is not available on property.” Mr Bartlett said that visitors will also be able to pay for the tests before arrival at the facilities with a policy that is being developed for visitors who test positive before leaving Jamaica.

"For visitors who test positive, we have a dedicated care programme that is set in place.

“Hotels in the country will now be able to allow visitors to stay at their facility, in a specially designated area, during the allotted period, so that the relevant requirements to enable them to go back home, are met.”