Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation Statement on Updated COVID-19 Measures
NASSAU, Bahamas, September 1, 2020 – As residents, businesses and visitors throughout The Islands of The Bahamas continue to follow stringent orders and guidelines to curb the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister, The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis, has issued updated measures and protocols allowing for the reopening of additional businesses and services.
The following measures are applicable to Nassau & Paradise Island and Grand Bahama Island, as well as Family Islands including Abaco, Acklins, Andros, Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Inagua and Mayaguana.
- A mandatory curfew is in place from 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. daily. No person is permitted to leave their homes or accommodations during this period, except to seek urgent medical care at a hospital.
- All persons are required to follow health measures, including proper hand washing and sanitization, physical distancing and the use of masks or face coverings fitted over the nose and mouth.
- Essential businesses including grocery stores, pharmacies, water depots, gas stations and hardware stores are permitted to operate daily between the hours of 6a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Commercial banks and credit unions may open Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5p.m.
- Restaurants may operate daily from 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. and provide outdoor dining, curbside, takeaway and delivery service. To note, Fish Fry restaurants can offer curbside and takeaway, but will not be open for outdoor dining.
- Retail shops are permitted to offer curbside and delivery service Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7 a.m. – 6p.m. Clothing and fabric stores may open for in-store shopping from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
- Public and private buses, as well as taxis, are allowed to operate at 50% occupancy. Total passenger capacity to be posted via signage on each vehicle.
- Beauty salons and barbershops may open to accommodate one patron per service provider at a time.
- Beaches and parks will be open daily, with the exception of New Providence and Grand Bahama, where they will be open only between the hours of 5 a.m. – 9 a.m. A face mask must be worn upon entering and exiting the beach area, and gatherings are limited to groups of five people.
Please visit opm.bs.gov for full details related to commercial and social activities allowed under the latest Emergency Order.
Family Islands such as Chub Cay, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay, Ragged Island, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells and San Salvador will continue with no curfew, but must abide by physical distancing and sanitation protocols. Restaurants on these islands are also permitted to operate at 50% occupancy.
Implications for Travellers:
While The Bahamas is looking forward to safely welcoming visitors to its shores, the health and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain of upmost importance. All travellers to The Bahamas will be required to adhere to all protocols and restrictions provided.
Requirements for entering The Bahamas include:
- All travellers must apply for a Bahamas Health Visa at travel.gov.bs by selecting the International option and completing all required fields.
- Effective Tuesday, September 1, all incoming visitors, as well as returning citizens and residents, must show proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test, taken no more than five (5) days prior to the date of arrival. All test results must be uploaded when applying for a Bahamas Health Visa.
o The only applicants who are not required to provide a COVID-19 test are:
- Children under the age of ten (10)
- Pilots and crew who remain overnight in The Bahamas.
- All visitors and returning residents are required to shelter-in-place for 14 days upon arrival into The Bahamas.
- Travellers are permitted to shelter-in-place at a hotel, private club or rented accommodations (like Airbnb), as well as on a private boat.
- Hotel guests are permitted to access all available amenities on property during the shelter-in-place period.
- All persons must submit to monitoring and install the Hubbcat App on their cellular phones for purposes of contact tracing.
- After the 14 days, all persons intending to remain in the country will be required to complete another COVID-19 test, at their own expense, to exit shelter-in-place.
Full details on entry protocols to The Bahamas can be found on bahamas.com/travelupdates
The Bahamas has remained diligent in efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 throughout the islands, and these measures are imperative to ensure that remains the case. Due to fluidity of the COVID-19 situation both in The Bahamas and worldwide, protocols are subject to change. The health and wellbeing of both residents and visitors remain the number one priority, and public health officials are closely monitoring indicators to determine whether more or less stringent measures will be required going forward.
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PRESS INQUIRIES
Anita Johnson-Patty
General Manager, Global Communications
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation
Weber Shandwick
Public Relations