Falkland Islands Government
COVID-19: Information and Guidance

03 March 2021

COVID-19 Public Update

Welcome to March’s monthly Covid-19 update.

KEMH TESTING

  • Total number of swab tests taken and processed to date: 7,040
  • Total number of swabs taken but not yet tested: 0
  • Total number of positive test results since 3 April 2020: 54
  • Number of current positive test results within the Islands: 3

There are currently no Covid-19 patients currently in KEMH. The hospital is continuing its enhanced clinical process in order to ensure that the requisite precautions are in place in the hot and cold areas of the hospital. This includes mask wearing, social distancing and lateral flow testing every three days for staff working in the hot area of KEMH.

VACCINATION UPDATE

So far, we have been able to give 1,787 people their first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccination. This represents an uptake figure of 98.99%. Eligible people who have been unable to receive the vaccine due to factors such as sickness and absence will be given their first dose in the next big cohort of vaccinations, which is due to begin on 22 March 2021. KEMH is currently working on the logistics for this phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme and further details will be communicated to the public in due course.

QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS

People arriving into the Falkland Islands, whether travelling by sea or air, must spend their first 14 days in the Islands in quarantine, in accordance with the Infectious Diseases Control (Coronavirus, Quarantine) Regulations 2021. You can read the Regulations online by visiting:  https://www.legislation.gov.fk

People in quarantine must not share their living accommodation or any facilities (bathroom, kitchen) with anyone who is not in quarantine with them.  While in quarantine, individuals will receive at least one welfare call and will be asked to participate in our surveillance swabbing programme. This involves being swabbed for coronavirus on three separate occasions to make sure that people are free of infection before they leave quarantine.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS – NORTHBOUND FLIGHTS

On 15 February, the UK government announced new requirements for people travelling to England from outside the Common Travel Area, which means these requirements are in place for people travelling into Brize Norton from the Falkland Islands.

Firstly, everyone arriving in England must quarantine for ten days on arrival. Secondly, before leaving to travel to England, passengers must book and pay for a ‘travel test package’, which will provide individuals with Covid-19 tests to be taken on or before day two and on or after day eight of quarantine.

The tests cost £210 and must be booked online portal. You will not be able to leave quarantine until you have received a negative result from the day eight test and have quarantined for 10 days. If you do not take the tests, it could result in a penalty of up to £2,000. Anyone who tests positive for either test must quarantine for a further ten days from the day that the test was taken.

Further information is available from the UK government’s website: https://www.gov.uk

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS – SOUTHBOUND FLIGHTS

From 1 March, all travellers to the Falkland Islands aged two years and over need to provide proof of a negative PCR test for Covid-19 no more than five days before arrival in Senegal. This is a requirement of the Republic of Senegal and it applies to those travelling to the Falkland Islands as the airbridge stops in Dakar on route to the Falkland Islands.

All travellers to the Falkland Islands need to do the following before their flight:

  • complete an IDC5 form and return this to the flight booking office
  • arrange adequate quarantine accommodation and provide this information to FIG
  • arrange transportation to their quarantine accommodation – people must either travel in government-designated transport or, if using a private vehicle, must either travel alone or only with another person or persons who are also required to quarantine for the same period

Please note: Due to the health and safety requirements placed on government-designated transport providers, there is limited seating capacity and Penguin Travel has a maximum capacity of 40 passengers. Requesting a seat via Penguin Travel only a few days before the flight is due to arrive in the Falkland Islands is therefore not advisable, as this is too short notice for people to make alternative travel arrangements if Penguin Travel is fully booked. 

The next monthly Covid-19 update for the Falkland Islands will be on 7 April 2021.