‘Fully vaccinated travelers can go straight home if…’

William Gilmore, fourth from right, is the first traveler to avail of the modified quarantine that allows verified-vaccinated incoming travelers to exit the airport and go straight to their home, or lodging, if they complete their mandatory health declaration form at least 72 hours prior to arrival and after their lodging or home passes assessment. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

A fully vaccinated man who arrived on Saipan yesterday was the first traveler to go straight home after passing travel requirements.

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. announced that the arriving traveler, Commonwealth Utilities Corp. deputy executive director William Gilmore, is the first traveler to avail of the service, after being tested at the airport by CHCC, the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Service, and the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force.

According to a CHCC statement, effective yesterday, June 3, 2021, verified-vaccinated incoming travelers can exit the airport to go straight to their home or lodging if they complete their mandatory health declaration form at least 72 hours prior to arrival and after their lodging or home passes assessment.

CHCC said fully vaccinated travelers must include their vaccination documentation in their mandatory health declaration form to ensure that their COVID-19 vaccination is verified in a timely manner and that their lodging or home passes assessment before they land.

As for those who were vaccinated in the CNMI, CHCC Communicable Disease Investigation/Inspection team will look up CHCC vaccination records to verify that the individual is fully vaccinated. If the person has been vaccinated elsewhere, CHCC says the traveler should provide the name of the immunization record provider, traveler’s name, traveler’s date of birth, type of vaccine administered, vaccine name, vaccine lot number, and vaccine administration date.

According to CHCC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination record cards are not considered vaccination records accepted for travel into the CNMI.

If travelers are coming from a Level 1 jurisdiction on CDC’s travel recommendation list, they do not have to test upon arrival, but will undergo a lodging or home assessment and will be tested on the fifth day after arrival. If a Level 1 traveler fails their lodging or home assessment, they are encouraged to monitor themselves for symptoms. Individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should call the CHCC Tele-Triage Hotline available 24 hours a day at (670) 233-2067.

However, if they are coming from a Level 2 or higher jurisdiction, they will be tested at the airport after submitting their mandatory health declaration form at least 72 hours prior to their arrival. This will ensure that the individuals COVID-19 vaccination is verified and that their home or lodging passes assessment before they land. They will also be tested on the fifth day after arrival.

CHCC said any individuals who test positive during any test will be isolated at the government quarantine facility.

Unvaccinated incoming travelers who are requesting Critical or Essential Work approval will be evaluated based on the strength of work justification, point of origin, pre-arrival PCR test, COVID-19 vaccinations, and transit/flight plans.

In a previous interview with Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force chair Warren Villagomez, he said home quarantine is just another option. If returning residents prefer to quarantine at government sites, they can still do so.

For more information, a flow chart is available at www.governor.gov.mp/covid-19/travel, where responses to frequently asked questions are available, along with the mandatory health declaration form can.