By Shermain Bique-Charles
Prime Minister Gaston Browne believes that Antigua and Barbuda could be plunged further down the ladder when the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) revises its travel advisory in the coming weeks.
The twin-island state has now been placed at level 3, with the CDC warning against travelling here, because of the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
Prime Minister Browne is worried that the country which he governs could be in line for Level 4 at the next reclassification.
“If we are going to speak truth to power, we are now at a level in which, at the next ranking, they are likely to include Antigua as a level 4 country,” Browne said over the weekend.
The same could apply to the United Kingdom, according to Browne, who believes that Antigua is rapidly moving towards the red list
“We are seeing a situation in the UK that because of Covid, that practically all Caribbean countries could find themselves on the amber list and the red list,” which Browne said could further “‘plummet’ the country’s economy.”
Antigua and Barbuda is currently on the UK’s green list.
Being placed on the red list means that returning passengers must stay in a managed quarantine hotel for ten days which they should book before their trip.
Travellers must complete pre-departure testing and PCR testing on day two and day eight.
This could cost around £2,000 per traveller.