Bahamas bans tourists from US, cites coronavirus concerns

[brooklynite]

Source: The Hill

Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced over the weekend that the country will block American tourists from entry as U.S. coronavirus numbers continue to surge.

He also announced that flights to the U.S. would be stopped.

The state of the pandemic in the Bahamas, Minnis said, has grown worse “at an exponential rate” since the reopening of international borders, adding that its total cases stand at 153, including 49 new cases since the full reopening of borders July 1.

‘International commercial flights and commercial vessels carrying passengers will not be permitted to enter our borders, except for commercial flights from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union,” Minnis said in his Sunday address. “This will come into effect as of Wednesday the 22nd of July 2020 at midnight. Bahamasair will cease outgoing flights to the United States of America, effective immediately.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/international/508058-bahamas-bans-tourists-from-us-due-to-coronavirus-concerns

[no_hypocrisy]

1. By contrast, interesting to note that Bermuda has opened its country

esp. to Americans July 1.

[Eugene]

2. Bahamas reopened on July 1 too. They reconsidered. Others may follow.

It's a difficult choice. Those July 1 reopenings are still being hotly debated in the islands.

Many island countries are dependent on travel and tourism. At the same time, they are ill-prepared to fight COVID-19 if it takes hold.

The Bahamas lie right next door to Florida, where the virus is out of control. Closing the door is a less-bad option.