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Traveling fully vaccinated? Seychelles will waive your quarantine requirement

Jan. 21, 2021
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3 min read
CRUISE SHIP, AERIAL, SEYCHELLES ISLAND
Traveling fully vaccinated? Seychelles will waive your quarantine requirement
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Looking for another reason to celebrate your COVID-immunity? Seychelles announcing that fully vaccinated travelers would be permitted to bypass mandatory quarantine.

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"We hope that this [updated advisory] will open up the tourism industry for the locals, primarily for the small hotels who are struggling... And also provide the kick that our economy desperately needs,” Minister of Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde stated on the nation's official website.

Related: Here's what the COVID-19 vaccine could mean for your travel plans

Effective immediately, visitors worldwide can provide the following documents in order to enter the Seychelles and bypass quarantine requirements:

— An authenticated certificate stating that the traveler received both doses of the four current approved vaccines: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen. The traveler's second vaccine must have been administered at least two weeks prior to arrival.

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— A negative PCR test result taken less than 72 hours prior to travel

Travelers must continue to follow all other protocols including prior approval for health travel authorization; obeying all airline and airport guidelines during travel; and only booking accommodations from government-sanctioned properties.

Related:

As with many other island nations, Seychelles has maintained relatively strict entrance requirements to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The country previously closed its borders to travelers from many countries that had high COVID-19 infection rates, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

However, Seychelles officials estimate that 70 percent of the local population will have received the novel coronavirus vaccine by mid-March, thus achieving herd immunity. Once this milestone is reached, incoming travelers will only be required to produce a negative PCR test upon arrival. Essential workers, including tourism workers, receive first priority for the vaccine.

As of Jan. 21, nearly 2,000 locals have received their first dose of the vaccine. The Seychelles immunization program debuted five days prior. Thus far, none have experienced major adverse reactions from the vaccine, according to local health officials.

The United Arab Emirates government donated 50,000 doses of China's Sinopharm vaccine to the Seychelles, which will cover 25,000 individuals.

Featured image by Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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