Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Rapid antigen test results normally delivered in 1 hour now taking on to three days
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamians aspiring to travel for the vacations should expect delays in obtaining COVID test results, flight cancelations and unexpected costs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned yesterday.
An announcement containing the warning noted: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to advise Bahamians planning on traveling during this era of rising COVID cases, brought on chiefly by the highly transmissible COVID variant, omicron, that on returning to The Bahamas, they need to expect long delays in obtaining COVID test results and the cancelation of flights, which could lead to costly outlays for hotel accommodations, food and transportation.
“The ministry is receiving information that resulting from a spike in local demand for testing in overseas jurisdictions, rapid antigen test results normally delivered inside an hour are taking on to a few days.
“PCR tests take even longer.”
This comes just days before the federal government implements new protocols requiring anyone traveling into The Bahamas to first present a negative RT-PCR test result as of January 7, 2022; and likewise as some overseas jurisdictions have reported members of the general public having challenges to find a legitimate center to take COVID tests.
Moreover, mass flight cancelations have been reported over in the US, a preferred destination for the Bahamian traveling public in addition to the house of most of our tourists.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its statement, continued: “The ministry advises the general public to proceed to follow the usual COVID protocols after they travel.
“These protocols are designed to attenuate the spread of COVID — take the vaccines, take the booster, wear face masks properly, avoid large crowds, apply hand-washing protocols and, importantly, take additional funds to cover unexpected expenses.”
