Airports will not re-open to incoming flights before May 3

The country’s international airports will not re-open to incoming passenger flights until May 3 as previously determined, the National COVID-19 Task Force said Friday; an assessment will be done before May 3 to determine if the lockdown will be extended.

The Task Force in a statement said it continues to receive information of Guyanese citizens who are in various parts of the world seeking to return to Guyana.

But the Task Force said while it is “sympathetic to their situation” it considers it a priority to ensure that all citizens in Guyana are protected from the spread of COVID-19 and reiterates that Guyana’s international airports remain closed to incoming passengers until May 3rd.

“An assessment is to be done, prior to May 3rd, to determine whether the airports can reopen to passenger traffic or whether it is necessary for the closure to be extended,” the Task Force stated.

Meanwhile, the Task Force said it has received requests for specially approved flights to repatriate foreign nationals who are in Guyana and approved some of these including a request from the Canadian High Commission to repatriate Canadian nationals using WestJet.

“The advice and guidance of the Ministry of Public Health and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority are critical in the NCTF decision-making in this regard,” the Task Force stated.