Guernsey trials passenger test regime

Tuesday 23 June 2020

Guernsey is launching a covid-19 testing pilot that would allow new arrivals into the island to be released from self-isolation after eight days if they receive a negative result.

The border test pilot scheme will be run between 5 and 10 July, with an absolute cap of 1,376 people arriving on a limited and specified number of Aurigny services and two Condor sailings from Poole.

It will see passengers asked to self-isolate for seven days, at which point they will receive a test, whose result will determine whether they are free to roam the island on day eight.

They will, however, be subject to 'passive surveillance', meaning they will be asked to report any symptoms, no matter how mild. 

Pictured: New arrivals in Guernsey who get a negative test result will be able to leave isolation after eight days.

If successful, Guernsey's regime will provide an alternative to the current mandatory 14 days quarantine for everyone entering the Bailiwick - apart from critical workers who are exempt under laws brought in during the pandemic.

Anyone travelling through Guernsey to Alderney or Sark will not be eligible to take part in the pilot at this stage in line with the decisions of those jurisdictions.

The approach runs in contrast to a pilot scheme currently underway in Jersey, which sees passengers on the 'lifeline' Blue Islands services from Southampton and Gatwick tested for covid-19 upon their arrival at the airport.

If that test returns a negative result, they will no longer have to self-isolate. However, they will still be required to be retested for covid-19 on subsequent days while they remain in Jersey.

If they test positive at any stage, they will have to isolate.

While Jersey's pilot has not yet concluded - despite a previous promise of an update from the Chief Minister several weeks ago - Jersey's Economic Development Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham, previously told a Scrutiny Panel it was going well.

However, he noted that there might be some difficulties in scaling up the model as air and sea traffic to the island increases.

Senior figures in the hospitality industry have suggested creating alternative test facility locations, with the unused Nightingale Hospital facility considered a frontrunner.

Pictured: Hospitality heads in Jersey think a better testing regime could be key to unlocking tourism and its benefit to the economy.

Guernsey's Director of Public Health, Dr Nicola Brink, said the States of Guernsey were confident their distinct approach was "the best, lowest-risk option", but added: "...We do recognise there is no model that is completely without risk."

She continued: "Equally we know that 14 days of self-isolation is a big ask for some people, with some reporting to me that particularly in the second week of self-isolation, it is affecting their mental wellbeing. We need to balance the risks of the virus with the other health impacts on individuals.

"Managing this pilot in a controlled way is our best solution to test what will work for us. If we do get a case, we must not see this as a step backwards, we are very well equipped to respond in this controlled environment."

Guernsey Health Committee Head Deputy Heidi Soulsby said strict border controls are still needed so the pilot is a way of allowing more free movement, while protecting the wider community.

“Our borders have been and will continue to be our strongest defence in keeping Covid-19 from returning to our community. But as a result of enhancing our testing capacity, together with having an experienced contact tracing team, we have in place enough protective measures to be confident in going ahead with a pilot for testing on day 7.”