Q&A’s general questions

Each island decides on the conditions for entering, based on the local situation, and in line with the responsibilities of the local governments of the islands. 

Experts and policy makers of the 6 islands are constantly in contact, as well as with the Netherlands concerning entry requirements. Regulations are synchronized as much as possible. 

Yes. This regulation outlines the prerequisites for entry to Bonaire, and lies down the current quarantine measures. The information in this Q&A are in line with this regulation. The emergency ordinance further specifies further measure.  Please read the current emergency ordinance at this website, to be informed in the best possible manner.

Whether a country is safe, is considered every two weeks, as recommended by the RIVM, taking into account the health care capacity of the island.

At the end of June all COVID-19 related health care aspects were evaluated on Bonaire with the general practitioners, the hospital, the public health department, the laboratory and the public entity. Amongst other aspects, we have considered testing policy, source of contamination and contacts tracing, quarantine and isolation policies and emergency medical care. The conclusion was that all these areas are in principle sufficiently organized, allowing to soften the measures.

Based on the recommendations of the RIVM, Bonaire has implemented a number of basic rules and entry measures. Protocols have been established based on these measures, in close cooperation with the Public Health Department: 

• General Tourism protocol: https://www.tourismbonaire.com/includes/2020-covid19-tourist-protocol.pdf 
• Protocol Flamingo Bonaire International Airport: http://www.bonaireinternationalairport.com/covid-19-protocols-at-bonaire-international-airport/ 
• Port Protocol Bonaire: soon to be published on : www.tourismbonaire.com 

These protocols are also included in the Bonaire COVID-19 roadmap.

In addition, individual organizations and businesses have established their own protocols. They communicate these through their own channels.

It is important for the contamination source and contact tracing procedures for traveller information to be available for a maximum of 14 days after departure of the traveler, in case of a COVID-19 contamination of a potential contact with the traveler. The Public Health Department keeps the contact details of a traveler to Bonaire for a maximum of 14 days after departure.

Hotels, resorts and transportation providers for tourists, maintain logbooks of potential contact with and between tourists. These will be saved for 14 days after departure as well.

The risk for COVID-19 contaminations is definitely a reality for Bonaire. Bonaire has worked hard to extend the capacities of the medical services. We are well prepared for possible future contaminations in order to avoid the necessity for an immediate lockdown in the event of a COVID-19 case.

Depending on the situation authorities will consider the measures that need to be taken to protect Bonaire’s population of a COVID-19 contamination outbreak. Appropriate scenarios have been created, taking into consideration the local situation, in combination with the epidemiological situation in the countries from which it is considered safe at that moment to travel from to Bonaire.

If it is deemed necessary to implement flight restrictions, there is no guarantee for Bonaire’s residents that they can return home. In practice, organizing flight restrictions will take a while. This period could be used to return home, but as stated earlier, no guarantees are given. 

In addition, when you travel from Bonaire, take into account the situation in your destination country as well: it the situation changes there, there will be no guarantee to return to Bonaire as well.

This is done through the monitoring of incoming flights to Bonaire. The total number of passengers can be extended or limited, based on the consideration of the total number of possible contaminations and the capacity of the health care in Bonaire.

At this moment it is unknown when cruise ships will (be allowed to) visit Bonaire again. When requests for port calls will be received, the authorities will consider the risks for COVID-19 contamination, in relationship to the health care capacity, and take appropriate measures. At this moment, the basic rules apply for all people in Bonaire, citizens and visitors, as well as visitors arriving by boat.

Presently Bonaire is designated a code-orange travel destination. This means that, for example, travelers from the Netherlands are advised against traveling to the island. If travelers decide to come regardless they must have a pressing reason to do so. This is due to the island’s limited health care capacity and also because, in relation to the size of its population Bonaire has a lot of cases of infection. The island will apply for code-yellow status when the number of infections has decreased significantly, and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Public Health Department advises to do so.