COPA AIRLINES RESPONSIBLE FOR POSITIVE COVID-19 PATIENT WITH OMICRON BREACHING PROTOCOLS AND BOARDING FLIGHT INTO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

By a staff reporter: 
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds confirmed that the person who entered Trinidad and Tobago with the Omicron variant flew on COPA Airline.
This comes as Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Wednesday said that he had no information on which airline the patient was on despite the situation happening almost one week prior.
In the House of Representatives on Friday, Minister Hinds said the fully vaccinated T&T national made a false declaration and as such she was issued a TT Travel Pass. He was giving an update on the investigation into the circumstances that allowed her to board a flight and arrive into the country.
According to COPA Airlines’ website, fully vaccinated passengers are exempt from presenting a negative Covid-19 test for entry as long as they can provide physical or digital proof of a complete Covid-19 vaccination certificate showing they are fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival.
Minister Hinds said with it being a very severe offence, he is looking forward to the full range of the law being applied as the matter is under police investigation.
According to The TTravel Pass website it is a criminal offence to load, present false documentation (such as vaccination records, or covid19 test certificates) or make false statutory declarations. If charged and found guilty, you may be subject to a penalty of $350,000 and six months in jail on summary conviction.