TERRIBLE TIMING: Fountain laments US COVID warning against The Bahamas comes amid uptick in bookings

TERRIBLE TIMING: Fountain laments US COVID warning against The Bahamas comes amid uptick in bookings
(FILE PHOTO)

Out Island Promotion Board director: Advisory further drives need to continue vaccine rollout

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) level four travel warning on The Bahamas “could not have come at a worse time”, according to Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board (BOIPB) Executive Director Kerry Fountain.

Kerry Fountain.

The CDC has advised against travel to The Bahamas, moving this nation from a level three health notice to a more serious level four. In its notice, the CDC warned that COVID-19 levels in The Bahamas are “very high”.

In January, the CDC had moved The Bahamas from a level four travel health notice to a less serious level three; however, in light of the rise in reported COVID-19 cases recently, the CDC moved The Bahamas back to a level four.

Fountain told Eyewitness News: “It could not have come at a worse time — just when we are experiencing a positive booking momentum.”

Fountain noted that The Bahamas is not the only country in the world going through recent challenges brought on by the pandemic.

“Given the current advisory, though, we need to continue the distribution of vaccines we have in hand in The Bahamas — including more of our Family Islands,” said Fountain.

He added: “We need to determine, beyond the remaining vaccines that we are expecting next month, where the required amount of vaccines can be accessed that would allow The Bahamas to reach herd immunity — 70 to 85 percent of all adults vaccinated post-May — and continue to require and enforce the wearing of masks, social distancing and sanitizing.”

Magnus Alnebeck.

Magnus Alnebeck, general manager of the Pelican Bay resort on Grand Bahama, however, said the notice would not have a great impact on that island as it is still not receiving a significant number of tourists.

“In GBI, we don’t have that many tourists anyhow,” said Alnebeck.

“The CDC notice is more likely to affect the hotels and destinations that are targeting the short stay/mid-market customer, who might choose Puerto Rico, USVI or Florida as ‘warm weather destinations’ instead. Needless to say, that is domestic travel for US consumers.”

1 comments

According to the CDC website, both Puerto Rico and the USVI’s are at a level 4. Basically anyplace outside of the continental US is now a 4. Florida is the only place mentioned that has a low rate that even remotely fits into the new CDC advisory.

My friends in the states tell me that nobody pays attention to the CDC “warnings” for this reason.

People know this and will travel regardless.

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