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WQ.327/2021
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY THE CONNÉTABLE OF ST. MARTIN
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 5th JULY 2021
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 12th JULY 2021
Question
Will the Minister advise –
- how any Islanders who are unable to be vaccinated due to demonstrable mitigating circumstances, such as underlying health conditions, will be able to travel back to Jersey when travelling without being subject to more stringent self-isolation requirements than vaccinated Islanders; and how and when relevant policies on this subject will be developed; and
- what work is being undertaken to develop international agreements in respect of travel to ensure that any Islanders who are demonstrably unable to be vaccinated are not discriminated against, or treated separately to vaccinated Islanders?
Answer
- Ministers have agreed updates to the Safer Travel Policy to better align to recent policy changes to isolation requirements for direct contacts, protection afforded to Islanders by our levels of vaccination and the current low rate of severe illness and hospitalisation. The updated Safer Travel Policy will take effect on Tuesday 13 July 2021 and will have the following testing and isolation requirements:
• passengers who are fully vaccinated will only be required to have one test on arrival and will not be required to isolate
• passengers who are not fully vaccinated will be required to be tested upon arrival (day 0) and on day 8, and will need to isolate until their first negative test result
• enhanced testing and isolation will remain for the very small number of passengers who have visited very high-risk countries (those subject to the UK Government International restricted list) in the 10 days prior to arrival, regardless of vaccination status.
With these changes, those passengers arriving in Jersey who are unable to be vaccinated will only have a marginally increased requirement compared to those who are vaccinated, and there will be no distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated Islanders for those who have visited very high-risk countries.
We are continuing to develop all policies relating to Covid Status Certification at pace and consideration of any significant inequalities is a key part of that work.
- The Government of Jersey, chiefly through the Ministry of External Relations, remains closely engaged in discussions to enable the safe resumption of travel to and from international destinations, in line with the Government's Safer Travel Policy. Ultimately, each jurisdiction retains the ability to administer its own controls over incoming travellers to protect public health, and the Government of Jersey must respect these decisions whether in relation to vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals. External Relations officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which is leading on discussions with international partners over travel restrictions and entry requirements – including those for Jersey residents – in view of the ongoing pandemic.