As demands intensify for coronavirus testing to allow travel to resume at scale, the island of Jersey has reported a successful start to its holiday season.
Jersey was closed to holidaymakers until 3 July – when the borders were opened, but with mandatory testing for coronavirus on arrival.
Since then, just eight out of 18,000 travellers arriving in the largest Channel Island have tested positive for Covid-19 – representing 0.04 per cent, or one case every four days.
Prospective visitors are told: “You will not be required to self-isolate if you have decided to undergo a PCR test on arrival, and have not recently visited any country risk assessed as ‘amber’ or ‘red’.”
These “high-risk” countries include Belgium, Malta and mainland Spain.
All arriving visitors are required to complete a pre-departure registration form and are tested on arrival for coronavirus.
They need not self-isolate while they wait for the result, which typically takes 24 hours – though they do get daily SMS messages reminding them to report any symptoms and self-isolate immediately.
Keith Beecham, chief executive of Visit Jersey, said: “Protecting everyone on the island is the priority, which is why the Ports of Jersey have worked hard alongside public health authorities to develop a visitor process that is both safe for everyone while also optimising the traveller experience.”
The eight individuals who tested positive were required to self-isolate from the time of the test result.
Travellers returning from Jersey and the other Channel Islands to the UK are not required to undergo quarantine.
