Falkland Islands Government
COVID-19: Information and Guidance

29 July 2020

COVID-19 Public Update

KEMH TESTING

1,988 tests have now been processed, with no positive results received for almost 100 days.

ANTIBODY TESTING

Until Friday 31 July the KEMH will be undertaking the next round of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing, looking for antibodies to the virus which causes COVID-19 disease. This test can tell whether a person has had the virus that causes COVID-19 in the past, by analysing a blood sample.

  • A positive test result means that you have been infected with the COVID-19 virus at some point, probably more than 10 days ago, and have developed antibodies to the virus.
  • A negative test result means that we have been unable to detect any antibodies to the virus in your blood sample.


Members of the public who would like to have an antibody test taken can contact the KEMH on 28000 to request an appointment.

MONITORING OF QUARANTINE COMPLIANCE AND WELFARE OF QUARANTINING INDIVIDUALS

Following the introduction of new quarantine regulations, passengers arriving in the Falkland Islands are required to complete a mandatory 14 day period of quarantine. Within two working days of arrival, all quarantining individuals will receive a call from KEMH to check on their welfare and to ensure that they understand both the requirements of quarantine and who they can contact if they require assistance. Additionally, in order to monitor compliance and check on welfare, quarantining passengers may be called or visited by the Royal Falkland Islands Police or receive an additional telephone call from Social Services during their quarantine period.

EXTENSION OF COVID-RELATED ECONOMIC SUPPORT SCHEMES

Today, Wednesday 29 July 2020 ExCo approved the extension of the employment/self-employment, job retention, unemployment subsidy and direct grant schemes which were introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and are currently being successfully administered by the Treasury and FIDC. These schemes were due to end on 31 July, have now been extended until 30 September. A further review of the duration of the schemes will take place no later than 23 September.

The schemes have been extended to support economic sectors which will continue to feel the impacts of the pandemic. In addition the extension will support continuing demand for the schemes where KEMH instructs symptomatic individuals and their households to isolate.

FIG will continue to support these claims for isolating individuals, subject to the following:

  • The individual meeting all of the relevant Scheme guidelines.
  • A check with KEMH to confirm the individual was told to isolate and the period of isolation.

The previously agreed reductions in electricity charges and the three month waiver of service charges will end, as previously publicised, after 31 July 2020.

Consideration continues to be given to a range of specific measures to target sectors likely to suffer longer term impacts, including the tourism sector.

ONGOING WORK ON TOURISM SECTOR SUPPORT

The Falkland Islands Government has been carrying out a substantial amount of work analysing the likely impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector. Throughout this process FIG have engaged directly with industry both locally and internationally, and with the Falkland Island Tourist Board and Falkland Islands Tourism Association to ensure all likely impacts are understood.

The tourism industry globally has been severely impacted, and the situation remains fluid with many issues outside of the control of FIG. The focus of this work has therefore been on what measures FIG can take to both support the local tourism sector through the coming season, and to better position it for the future.

Among the options under consideration are FIG’s position on quarantine and border restrictions, alongside industry support measures such as incentives to encourage domestic tourism extension of existing general business support measures, and investment in publicly accessible tourism related infrastructure to improve the visitor experience in future.

There are a number of meetings and workshops being held with MLAs this week, and details will be shared in the week beginning 3 August.

UPDATE TO UK VISA ARRANGEMENTS

The United Kingdom visa application centre in New York re-opened on 13 July 2020. People who require UK visas for travel from the Falklands will therefore need to submit applications on line at www.gov.uk and contact the Customs & Immigration Service for biometric appointments in the normal way. UK Visa waiver requests will only be considered in emergencies such as travel for compassionate reasons.

UK Visa application centres in the rest of the world are also re-opening. People who need visas to transit UK to travel to the Falklands must first check whether they can make an application in their country or to a centre nearby before making any request for the requirements to be waived.

Full instructions on how to apply for UK visas from the Falklands can be found on the website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/falkland-islands-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-falkland-islands

The Customs & Immigration Service staff are not authorised UK Immigration advisors. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that the correct process is followed.

LATAM UPDATE

LATAM and FIG have confirmed that the Sao Paolo route suspension is suspended until at least the end of September 2020, and is being reviewed as to a future period of suspension.

As announced in June 2020, the Punta Arenas-Santiago route will remain suspended until at least end of August, and LATAM will review the situation nearer the end of that period.

Commercial flights are critical to the future of the Falkland Islands economy and the quality of life.

FIG continues to monitor and review the situation with LATAM on a regular basis and further updates will be provided in due course.