Dear Honourable Prime Minister,

Re: Request to Permit Children Entry Into the Country Without a Nasopharyngeal PCR Test 

Trinidad and Tobago’s borders were reopened on July 17th, 2021. This border reopening was subject to certain stipulations set out by the Government in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current guidance from the Government is that all children entering into the country are required two undergo TWO PCR Tests within the span of ONE week. All children are also required to take a PCR test where both parents have negative PCR test results prior to their re-entry. This is a requirement even where children are traveling with fully vaccinated parents

As most countries begin reopening and stipulating domestic conditions relating to travel, the majority of countries have provided for children under the age of 5 to be exempted from the invasive PCR testing process. 

At present, regionally, both Barbados and Grenada are exempting children under the age of 5 from PCR testing upon arrival.

Globally, the UK is exempting children under the age of 10; the US is exempting children under the age of 2; and Canada is exempting children under the age of 5.

Trinidad and Tobago has been conducting PCR tests including the invasive nasopharyngeal swab PCR test on newborn babies and older since the closure of the borders in March 2020.

Requiring a baby to undergo two painful procedures within one week is seen as unnecessarily cruel as well as unnecessary where both parents are either fully vaccinated, or are quarantining (a 14 day period where unvaccinated and with negative PCR test results.)

Furthermore, in a case where parents are fully vaccinated, the second PCR test is to be administered after a period of 3-5 days in which the baby/child would have gone home with his/her parents and not have been in quarantine. The rationale of this second PCR test in such an instance is even more unclear as the child would not have been in quarantine during this intervening time.

• The Government is respectfully urged to reconsider its position on the testing of minors and restrict the requirement to children at least over the age of 5. 
• The Government is respectfully urged to clarify the procedure relating to the PCR testing of all children to ensure adequate safeguards are in place. 
• If, in the unfortunate instance the Government insists on PCR testing babies and children, formal guidelines should be issued to ensure that only oral swab PCR tests are done and that persons administering the PCR tests commit to ensuring the procedure is as minimally invasive as possible.

Please help us protect our babies! Our voices matter! Please sign and share this petition.