About 330 passengers managed to travel to the United States in the past 24 hours, via Las Américas airport, after the PCR and antigen tests that were negative for Covid-19 in the terminal, a requirement demanded by North American authorities to enter his territory.
Since the entry into force of the new restrictive measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and its strains, dozens of passengers have faced a series of difficulties in taking the test and being able to travel to the United States.
As late as Thursday, rows of travelers were registered on the second floor of the terminal, where bioanalysts and other staff from Amadita’s clinical laboratory are conducting the tests.
Last Thursday, some travelers still showed up at the airport to board their flight without the evidence document claiming to be unaware of the provision.
Unlike the previous days, there was a calmer atmosphere on Thursday among the passengers who went to Las Américas airport, José Francisco Peña Gómez, to take the negative test for Covid-19.
Meanwhile, the area where the tests are being conducted has doubled with police officers and Aerodom company personnel to avoid any violence or disorder from travelers unhappy with the situation.
Airline drivers explained that many of the passengers who were unable to travel to the United States last Tuesday had their tests passed because they had been conducted long before their flight departure.
“We received passengers on Tuesday and Wednesday with documents that had been PCR tested from laboratories not accredited by the Department of Health,” a JetBlue Airways employee said at the terminal.
Aerodom recommendation
For its part, the concession company Aeropuertos Dominicanos XXI Aerodom advised passengers to go to the airport only if they had previously prepared their negative PCR or antigen tests.
The Corporate Director of Communications, Aerodom, José Luis López, stressed the urgent need for travelers not to move to the airport if they do not have the current document.
López added that there were cases of numerous people showing up at the airline’s counters with false evidence last Tuesday and Wednesday, whether or not after the deadline, in an attempt to leave the country.
He also revealed that in the past 24 hours, the Amadita lab has conducted about 330 tests on passengers leaving the country bound for the United States.
Laboratory extends hours at AILA
However, he emphasized that the laboratory hired by the company for emergencies of passengers needing assistance with the test extended working hours from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and added that the check-in and check-in staff Samples will continue to work within those hours to serve as many people as possible.
“However, our recommendation remains that travelers go to the airport if they have a negative result from a PCR or Covid-19 antigen test performed up to 72 hours before their flight departure,” explains López.
With regard to flight operations, the Aerodom director pointed out that these continue to develop normally and that despite the restriction there have been no flight delays or cancellations and said the flow of passengers to New York increased last Thursday compared to the first two days after the entry into force of the new US government restrictive measures aimed at reducing the spread of the coronavirus.