Jersey opens up to safe travel after months of isolation from the rest of the world

Air and sea connections with Jersey, the United Kingdom and France will resume on Friday 3 July after more than three months of almost total travel lockdown.

As of 3 July airlines and ferries will be able to operate again, but on arrival there will be a strict testing scheme for all passengers.

Anyone coming into the island will have to pre-register before travel or face considerable delays on arrival. The pre-registration procedure includes providing personal and contact details, plus medical and travel history. 

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On arrival there are three options. Passengers may either produce evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival in the island. Or they may choose to take a PCR swab at the airport or harbour. Or they may opt for 14 days self isolation. It is hoped that the test results will be available within 48 hours. 

While waiting the results passengers will not have to self-isolate but they should limit the time they spend away from their accommodation and limit social contact. Those who do not have a residence in the island will not have to go to specially designated accommodation and there are no formal restriction on them. Should any possible covid-19 symptoms occur during that time there should contact the helpline (0)1534 445566 immediately.

If the test proves negative then people can continue life as normal but keeping to the health regulations in force in the island, which do not include mandatory wearing of masks in public places. If the test is positive the person will have to self-isolate for 14 days. Failure to self-isolate when required is a criminal offence with a fine of up to £1,000. 

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• Jersey starts to ease the covid-19 lockdown

Airlines connecting the island to the United Kingdom, mainly British Airways and EastJet, will be offering skeleton services in July. At present British Airways has scheduled one morning flight out of Jersey to London's Heathrow and one morning flight out of Heathrow to Jersey. British Airways has switched its usual pre-covid-19 flights (then about four each way a day) out of Gatwick where they used to be based, to Heathrow, at least for the time being. From 20 July it will be operating two flights a day, both from Heathrow.

For two weeks EasyJet, the other main carrier to the island is offering one evening flight out Jersey to Gatwick and one evening flight from Gatwick to Jersey. Starting 20 July it will be operating more flights, initially with an option of two flights a day, depending on the day. 

As from 20 July Blue Island, which has been the only airline servicing the island for the last three months, mainly for emergencies, will have a daily service from Jersey to Southampton at 12.00 and from Southampton to Jersey at 13.20. In July it will also be flying to Gatwick twice a week although all flights are full. At present it is not showing any services to and from Gatwick from August onwards. 

The travel restrictions were only lifted after a 10-hour debate in Jersey's parliament, with many people in the island hoping that tight regulations would be continued for at least another week. Although the island was declared free of any new covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the day of the vote in Jersey's parliament, one new on-island case was reported on Thursday. There have been 31 deaths, 303 recovered cases and 15,399 negatives tests.

All the regulations in force from 3 July can be found on the island website https://www.gov.je. Emails sent to coronavirushelpline@gov.je requesting more details are answered almost immediately. The corona virus helpline is +44 (0)1534 445566. The airlines' health and safety requirements can also be found on the website.