Bermuda Updates And Streamlines COVID-19 Travel Protocols

Following the recent announcement of the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) loosening its health guidelines, the Bermuda Government has updated its COVID-19 protocols. Most significantly, unvaccinated travelers will be able to visit the destination beginning August 22, 2022. Previously, unvaccinated visitors 12 years and over were required to apply for a medical exemption from vaccination to enter Bermuda at least 10 days before arrival to the island.  

According to the CDC, “COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, however, with so many tools available to us for reducing COVID-19 severity, there is significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death compared to earlier in the pandemic.” 

“The pandemic is not over, but today, Bermuda has the necessary tools and processes in place to protect ourselves and our communities,” said BTA Interim CEO Tracy Berkeley. “Our updated travel protocols will streamline the process for visiting our island, further boosting Bermuda’s tourism comeback in 2022.”

Bermuda’s updated COVID-19 protocols include:  

• Unvaccinated residents no longer have to quarantine for four days when they return to the island, and there is no requirement for a day 10 test.
• Unvaccinated visitors must take a Covid test, no more than two days before landing in Bermuda and then test again on day 4.
• Unvaccinated visitors must have valid travel health insurance to enter Bermuda and must upload proof of travel health insurance to their Travel Authorisation application for approval. 
• Unvaccinated residents can take a Covid test no more than two days before landing or, if they choose not to, they must take a Covid test on arrival at the airport. They will test again on day 4, but there is no quarantine and no day 10 test.
• Residents who previously travelled with proof of recent recovery from Covid or with a medical exemption from vaccination, no longer need to provide that proof or get that exemption. Instead, those residents will fall into the category of an unvaccinated resident and follow that testing regime: pre-arrival test and day 4 test or arrival test +and day 4 test.
• Similarly, unvaccinated cruise passengers require a Covid test no more than two days before departing the port. Depending on the time it takes to travel to Bermuda, they may need to test again before disembarking in Bermuda. This is familiar territory for the cruise lines as Bermuda already requires additional testing for vaccinated travellers when the journey to Bermuda is longer than four days.
• Unvaccinated mariners will get a Covid test no more than two days before departure and, as those sailing journeys to Bermuda take more than two days, we will require them to provide proof of a negative Covid test within 24hrs of arrival in Bermuda. They can do this using a telehealth service or by going to Perot Post Office. They will test again on day 4 as well. (This approach is similar to that used by the CDC for unvaccinated travellers arriving in the US.)

 For complete information, go to www.gov.bm/coronavirus-travellers-residents.

About the Bermuda Tourism Authority

The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) is an independent, non-government, entity and the official destination marketing organization for the island country. The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) promotes Bermuda globally as a world-class destination for leisure and group travel and tourism investment. For more information visit: www.gotobermuda.com/bta.