United Kingdom Rejects Jamaican Vaccine Status

The United Kingdom is not recognizing the vaccination status of Jamaican nationals. This was confirmed on Monday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamina Johnson Smith in a media release. This means that fully vaccinated Jamaicans will be subject to the required 10-day quarantine upon arrival in the UK, something that fully vaccinated citizens and travelers from certain countries does not have to endure.

Regional director for the Southern Regional Health Authority Errol Greene was traveling to the United Kingdom through the United States as a fully vaccinated Jamaican local to attend his mother’s funeral. However, upon presenting the required documents to prove his status he was told by virgin airline officials that the UK does not recognize any vaccines administered in Jamaica. 

Greene, who is vaccinated with the UK-created Astra Zeneca Vaccine, had to then register as unvaccinated. This is because Jamaica is not on the list of countries where vaccination programmes are recognized by the UK government. This means Greene had to observe the 10-day quarantine required by the UK while also doing additional COVID-19 tests. 

Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith subsequently confirmed the non-recognition by the UK. In a release Minister Johnson Smith said that the issues of the treatment of vaccination programmes were brought to the attention of CARICOM and the UK government for action. 

Jamaica falls into the amber category in the UK stoplight travel system. Johnson-Smith indicates that the stoplight travel status indicated the vaccination numbers, hospitalizations, variants, and related considerations in Jamaica

Acting British High Commissioner to Jamaica Daniel Shepherd sought to provide assurances that Jamaica is not being singled out and that an expansion of the recognized list will be done with consideration for Jamaica.