Antigua and Barbuda’s new travel rules have officially taken effect, so here’s what travelers need to know. 

As of Oct. 1, all arriving passengers to Antigua and Barbuda will need a negative PCR test taken and received within four days of their flight. 

Children below the age of 5 do not require a test. 

Crucially, all arriving passengers 18 and over must have received at least one dose of a two-dose World Health Organization-approved vaccine, or one dose of a single-dose vaccine like the Johnson & Johnson. (Approved vaccines include AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, among others). 

Children below the age of 18 are exempted from this requirement. 

All passengers must additionally fill out a Health Declaration Form which will be distributed on their flight; they’ll also be subjected to screenings and temperature checks upon arrival at VC Bird International Airport. 

It’s part of a growing trend toward vaccination requirements by Caribbean destinations; Turks and Caicos, Anguilla and St Kitts and Nevis all require vaccinations for entry, among others. 

The move comes shortly after Antigua and Barbuda’s biggest hotel company, Elite Island Resorts, announced a vaccination requirement for all guests 16 and over. 

It’s part of what has been a model tourism reopening for Antigua and Barbuda, which was among the first Caribbean destinations to reopen back in June 2020.

For more, visit Antigua and Barbuda Tourism. 

— CJ