by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:45 AM ET, Mon June 29, 2020
The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda said legal challenges from tourists arriving in the country would force health officials to change current health and safety protocols.
According to AntiguaNewsroom.com, Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed that several tourists are threatening legal action over the current mandatory coronavirus testing protocols upon arrival to the islands.
Browne said that tourists who tested positive last week did not follow the mandatory quarantine orders and booked flights back to the United States the day after receiving the diagnosis.
"Some guests are saying you don't have the right to put anything in my nose," Browne told AntiguaNewsroom.com.
Several tourists arriving at the islands said it was a violation of their rights to be forced to take a coronavirus test and stay on the island until the quarantine period is complete. As a result, the government in Antigua and Barbuda will allow visitors to be tested before arriving.
The islands officially opened to international travelers on June 4 as part of the country's first phase of reopening, which is expected to last from June through September.
As part of Antigua and Barbuda's reopening plan, the country's airports are mandating temperature checks for all arrivals, requiring face covering for anyone entering the facilities and issuing coronavirus tests. More airlines are expected to return to the islands in July.
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