UPDATE: Regulation changed on July 16 by the Barbados Government. Travellers with mixed COVID-19 jabs now considered fully vaccinated.
Miriam Katawazi – CTV News Toronto – Thursday, July 15, 2021
PHOTO: Eric Seed and his wife were forced to cancel their honeymoon trip to Barbados
TORONTO — An Ontario man says he and his wife had to cancel their honeymoon trip to Barbados after the country announced it does not consider people with mixed vaccine regimens as fully vaccinated.
Eric Seed said he and his wife postponed their honeymoon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they waited until they were fully vaccinated to start planning the long-awaited trip.
“We booked a nice little vacation for Barbados,” he told Newstalk 1010 on Thursday morning. “We booked it on the 23rd, and on the 25th, they changed the rules saying that if you mix your vaccines … you can’t go because they don’t consider you fully vaccinated.”
“In accordance with WHO standard, mixing of vaccine regimens (1st dose of one brand followed by 2nd dose of another which is not a one-dose regimen) is not accepted as complete vaccines regimen,” the document states.
People who are not considered to be fully vaccinated can still visit the country, but they would face stringent restrictions, including a quarantine period of up to eight days instead of one or two.
The World Health Organization’s Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said in an online briefing on Monday that she advised against people mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers.
In a tweet following her statement during the briefing, Swaminathan said that “individuals should not decide for themselves” to mix vaccine doses, but that “public health agencies can, based on available data.”
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization, the body that advises Canadian health officials on vaccines, says it’s safe to mix vaccines, and public heath units across the country have been urging residents to do so.
Seed said he booked through Air Canada, which luckily had a cancellation policy, and so he rebooked the honeymoon for the Dominican Republic instead.
Despite being able to rebook his vacation, Seed said he’s concerned about mixed messaging on the issue, and feels the G20 nations should come together and decide on a concise message on vaccines.
“Everyone is kind of doing their own thing, it’s fragmented,” he said.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he’s working with other countries to make sure rules for fully vaccinated Canadian travellers are consistent.
“We’re going to continue to work with the international community to make sure that people who are fully vaccinated in ways that Canadians recognizes as safe and effective are also recognized around the world,” he said.
UPDATE:
COVID-19 ; BTMI: Travellers with mixed COVID-19 jabs considered fully vaccinated
BARBADOS
There has now been a change in the regulations regarding visitors with mixed brands in vaccines.
Effective July 16, travellers with mixed coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines will be categorised as “fully vaccinated”.
A statement issued through Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. today said this is the latest decision as Government continues to review and update its travel protocols for entry.
Comments
They should have stayed in home Canada and honeymooned In Niagara Falls, Ontario. At least, the Dominicans cut them some slack.
Who are you to tell that couple where they should or shouldn’t honeymoon? How ridiculous!
The First World just cyant impose their invasion of policies on the Third World like that anymore.
Remember when Guyanese were dragged from their rooms in Barbados? This story is White privilege in action. This wouldn’t make news if the couple was non-white or not Canadian.
The Economist this week
Why do new SARS-CoV-2 variants spread more easily? In an explainer, we look at how random mutations in the viral genetic code allow new variants to bind better to human cells.
In America, the vaccination programme is stalling. Our Lexington columnist argues that populist conservatives are to blame. In France, the vaccine-shy are suddenly rushing to get jabbed — the government’s decision to allow only the fully vaccinated to enter restaurants, bars, trains and other spaces has caused a spike in inoculations.
A wave of COVID-19 is engulfing Indonesia — the government’s response is too little, too late. Meanwhile, in England, the government faces a stern test of its vaccination strategy. The country will end COVID-19 restrictions on July 19th, in the midst of rapidly rising infections. Will the “wall” of inoculations hold?
This time last year, employers were furloughing staff. Now many of them are desperately looking for more. The rapid bounce-back has been good news for workers angling for a pay rise. In addition, the business of matching workers to employers has become hot again.
Our data journalists have been studying the impacts of the pandemic. Research from Stanford University shows that COVID-19 has persuaded Americans to leave city centres — but they haven’t gone far. And in our Graphic detail section, we look at a new study that could help to define long COVID.
If you are dreading returning to the corporate environment, in our sister publication, 1843, Catherine Nixey suggests taking some advice from monks, brethren who lived, worked and died with their colleagues.
Zanny Minton Beddoes
Editor-In-Chief
Former Brazil President, Lula addressed the Cuban crisis, but like Argentine President Alberto Fernández, he drew the spotlight onto the US trade embargo:
”Americans have to stop with that grudge; the blockade is a way of killing human beings who are not at war. What is the United States afraid of? I know that one country is trying to interfere with another; Biden should take advantage of this moment to announce on television that he is going to adopt the recommendation of the UN countries and end this blockade,” Lula said on social media.
Merco Press
COVID-19 ; BTMI: Travellers with mixed COVID-19 jabs considered fully vaccinated
BARBADOS
There has now been a change in the regulations regarding visitors with mixed brands in vaccines.
Effective July 16, travellers with mixed coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines will be categorised as “fully vaccinated”.
A statement issued through Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. today said this is the latest decision as Government continues to review and update its travel protocols for entry.