Get the correct COVID-19 test before travelling to Guyana- Health Minister

Last Updated on Thursday, 17 December 2020, 9:16 by Denis Chabrol

Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony.

Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony on Thursday urged persons, who are planning to return to Guyana, to get the correct test for the potentially deadly coronavirus or they would not be allowed to board flights come here.

He cautioned them against taking the Rapid Test (RT), which is an antigen test that is cheaper and takes a few hours to get back results.  Dr. Anthony stated that the only acceptable test by Guyanese health and aviation authorities is the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test.

He said the rRT-PCR test is considered the “gold standard”.

The Health Minister added that the 72-hour period starts counting from the first hour immediately after the swab was taken. “The clock starts ticking from the time  you took the swab. It is not when you get back the results,” he  said.

He said travellers to Guyana, who took the test more than  72 hours ago but less than one week, would be required to take a second rPT-PCR test on arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport or the Eugene F. Correia ‘Ogle’ International Airport.  The Health Minister said that test would be conducted by Eureka Labs and would have to be paid for by the passengers.

Before departing for Guyana, passengers are required to upload their rRT-PCR test results to Passenger Locator form that is available by clicking here https://guyanatravel.gy/passenger-locator-form/