{"id":256708,"date":"2020-10-04T20:49:56","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T00:49:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=256708"},"modified":"2021-03-14T16:48:25","modified_gmt":"2021-03-14T20:48:25","slug":"covid-19-my-experience-in-quarantine-in-dominica-marie-therese-junkere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/news\/covid-19-my-experience-in-quarantine-in-dominica-marie-therese-junkere\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19: From the aircraft to quarantine, my experience in Dominica – Marie-Therese Junkere"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Champs Hotel – Picard. All photos by Cecil Clarke<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As countries across the world grapple to control the Covid-19 pandemic, you could be forgiven for thinking that Dominica would have challenges in keeping up to date with appropriate protocols. On the contrary Dominica is one of the safest places in the world to be at this time.<\/p>\n

IF YOU NEED TO ESCAPE TO AN ISLAND THAT HAS SOME OF THE BEST ENTRY PROTOCOLS TO KEEP COVID-19 UNDER CONTROL – DOMINICA IS THE ONLY CHOICE!!!<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re coming or planning to come to Dominica from a \u201chigh risk\u201d country such as the UK, US, Guadeloupe, Martinique etc (check cdn.discoverdominica.com<\/a>) then this article is a \u201cmust read\u201d.<\/p>\n

Having recently arrived from the UK, the whole experience – from arriving at Charles Douglas Airport until the end of my quarantine has left me feeling like a peacock!\u00a0 I\u2019m so proud be connected to Dominica.<\/p>\n

I am hopeful that after reading this article you will arrive at the same conclusion as I have – that Dominica is safe.\u00a0 Dominica\u2019s strategic plan for controlling and restricting the spread of the Corona Virus is well-led and effective and that all the negative chatter on social media is really just that – chatter.\u00a0 Of course, there are some of you who may not have had the same experience as I did.\u00a0 However, quite a few persons that I know have come in to Dominica from high risk countries and their experience on arrival has been as positive as mine.<\/p>\n

I was dreading coming back to Dominica as I\u2019d received videos and been following all the \u201cgossip\u201d on social media about the horrors of arriving in Dominica, the hours of waiting in a \u201changer\u201d at the airport, transportation to quarantine and then stories about the stay in quarantine in Portsmouth.\u00a0 Quarantine was what I was dreading the most!<\/p>\n

The thought of having to go to a Quarantine Facility filled me with fear on the one hand and indignation on the other!\u00a0 Why can\u2019t I just go home if I have a negative PCR test and my rapid test result done on arrival in Dominica is also negative?<\/p>\n

The first Covid case, after borders were opened in Dominica, was a gentleman who arrived from the UK with two negative PCR test results and who also had a rapid test on arrival in Dominica that was negative.\u00a0 He was home quarantined but living with his mother.\u00a0 Several days later, he tested positive for the virus!<\/p>\n

Existing protocols were revised and people like me, coming in from \u201chigh risk\u201d countries such as the UK, would have to be more closely monitored in the first few days of their arrival in Dominica.\u00a0 The objective is to stop the spread of the virus.<\/p>\n

If you are coming from \u2018high risk\u201d, countries even with a negative PCR result, you are a potential carrier of COVID -19 as the virus takes a few days to show up and you could catch it after you have been tested, in the airport or on the plane for example.\u00a0 So, whatever your reason for coming to Dominica, you need to understand the protocol for entering Dominica and you can find this at cdn.discoverdominica.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I had familiarised myself with Dominica\u2019s protocol prior to entering the country and knew that I would need to produce a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old on the day I arrive, as I was coming from a \u201chigh risk\u201d country.\u00a0 I was going to need this in any event to board my flights to get to Dominica. At least 24 hours before flying I had to complete Dominica\u2019s online health questionnaire which is at http:\/\/domcovid19.dominica.gov.dm<\/a>\/. This form is part of the process to obtaining the \u201chealth clearance\u201d document that you must have, when travelling from a high risk country, to enter Dominica.\u00a0 You are required to upload a copy of your PCR test result in order to submit the form.\u00a0 Remember your PCR test result must not be more than 72 hours old when you arrive in Dominica.<\/p>\n

Beware! Filling out the questionnaire is not clearance to enter Dominica.\u00a0 You must receive email confirmation which is known as the \u201chealth clearance\u201d document.\u00a0 I can tell you from experience that if your uploaded PCR test result is more than 72 hours old when you submit the questionnaire, you will receive a refusal of entry into Dominica.<\/p>\n

Very important\u2026.when you upload the questionnaire a screen will pop up informing you that your \u201csubmission has been received\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 Please read the rest of the information on that page.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A code is generated when you submit your completed questionnaire.\u00a0 I suggest you make a note of that code as you will need to quote it if you have to call to follow up.\u00a0 The code that I got was QU20200\u2026.<\/p>\n

You should receive an email confirming you have health clearance to enter Dominica, within 24 hours of submitting the questionnaire.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t receive that confirmation then call (+1 767) 276 7986 Mr Lodrick lodrickk@dominica.gov.dm or the COVID Helplines 448-2151\/2153 or 611-4325.\u00a0 Remember you may be asked to quote the code which is generated when you submit the questionnaire.<\/p>\n

So, armed with your negative PCR test result and your health clearance email, you can now enter the country.<\/p>\n

Airlines flying to Dominica are well informed of the protocol and will ask you to produce the confirmation you have received from Dominica allowing you to enter the country.\u00a0 I witnessed a passenger who was not allowed to board the flight because she could not produce the health clearance document!<\/p>\n

So I\u2019ve got my negative PCR test.\u00a0 I also received my confirmation email – I was so happy but wait a minute\u2026where was I going to stay?<\/p>\n

I had choices – either the government quarantine facility or the many government approved hotels and guest houses, adequately equipped to accommodate guests in quarantine.\u00a0 I chose to stay at the latter and I\u2019m so glad I made that decision.\u00a0 You will understand why later.<\/p>\n

Click on this link for the full list of certified quarantine accommodation bit.ly\/CvdCrtAcc<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 There is now a dedicated helpline for persons needing to book quarantine accommodation\u00a0 – +1 767 615-0051.<\/p>\n

I arrived in Dominica mid-September.\u00a0 I was dreading it.\u00a0 I had no idea what to expect. What a pleasant surprise!\u00a0 From stepping off the aircraft to arrival at my \u201cquarantine\u201d destination.<\/p>\n

Everything and everyone was prepared for our arrival.\u00a0 The Environmental Health Officer escorted us from the aircraft to the assessment area (also known as the \u201changer\u201d) – away from the main building.<\/p>\n

The area was very clean.\u00a0 All staff wore PPE and they were friendly, efficient and professional.\u00a0 Based on the stories I\u2019d read that was not what I was expecting!<\/p>\n

A nurse checked and recorded my temperature, and I was asked to sanitise my hands before entering the area.\u00a0 She even checked that my mask was on correctly.\u00a0 I was then ushered to the first booth and asked to produce my photo ID, negative PCR test result and the \u201chealth clearance\u201d document authorising me to enter Dominica.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 After checking my documentation she returned my passport to me and asked me to move to the next booth to meet with the Police officer who again checked my passport and moved me along to meet with a nurse, who took my name, address, telephone number, where I was going to stay (quarantine – more on that later), my age (I didn\u2019t want to tell her) and whether I had any health conditions.\u00a0 She then asked me to move to the next booth and explained that I would have to give a finger prick blood sample for the rapid diagnostic test.<\/p>\n

Booth number 4 is where you get pricked!!\u00a0 The nurse was lovely.\u00a0 She told me she had to take a blood sample.\u00a0 I\u2019m a coward. It hurt!<\/p>\n

There are two waiting areas.\u00a0 For the purposes of this article we are looking at the waiting area if you have come from a high risk country.\u00a0 It\u2019s called the \u201cholding area\u201d.\u00a0 See photo.\u00a0 It\u2019s clean.\u00a0 There\u2019s a nice big fan and I noticed two lovely gold vases with dried flowers.\u00a0 I waited patiently, listening to music on my headphones.\u00a0 There were several other persons waiting in my area.\u00a0 It was all very civilised and quiet.<\/p>\n

About 30 minutes later, the lovely nurse who pricked my finger walked up to me, keeping a socially safe distance (which worried me just a tad at first).\u00a0 She beckoned me to come towards her and I noticed she had some pink forms in her hand.\u00a0 She was very discreet and spoke quietly.\u00a0 She showed me a pink card and explained that my test had come back NEGATIVE and that I was free to go!\u00a0 Hip! hip! hooray!\u00a0 I was now allowed to enter the main airport building, go through immigration and retrieve my luggage.\u00a0 The hotel organised my pick up by a government authorised taxi!<\/p>\n

My quarantine period turned out to be a lovely impromptu holiday in lovely surroundings.\u00a0\u00a0 I meditated. I slept.\u00a0 I spoke for ages with all my friends especially Tina, who herself was in a mountain top quarantine in Cockrane.\u00a0 I had such a blast!<\/p>\n

I found a rare gem hidden away in the heights of Picard that I never knew existed and it\u2019s just about an hour\u2019s drive from the airport along what I consider to be a scenic route.\u00a0 Imagine that!\u00a0 Five years in Dominica and I have just discovered The Champs Hotel in Picard! See photos below.<\/p>\n

On arrival I was told about the protocols for persons in quarantine and the procedures up to and including how and when I would be allowed to leave.<\/p>\n