Feeling Sick and Tired?
Stay home and reschedule your charter.
To ensure the passengers’ and crew’s safety, Early Bird Charters (EBC) has specific requirements for coming on board regarding Covid-19 and other airborne/direct contact illnesses.
Guests are responsible for upholding current Government regulations regarding sanitation to prevent the spread of Covid and other airborne/direct contact illnesses.
Early Bird Charters reserves the right to alter the “Covid-19 & Airbourne / Direct Contact Illness Policy” at any time.
~ PRIOR TO ARRIVAL ~
Liability Waiver: All guests are also asked to confirm via a liability waiver that no one within the group has experienced symptoms, been in quarantine, or has been potentially exposed to the Covid-19 Virus or other airborne/direct contact illnesses within the last 14 days. Clients are responsible for taking note of all the details within the liability waiver.
Covid-19 Vaccines: All guests coming on board are encouraged to be fully vaccinated with the latest booster (age and availability permitting) against Covid-19 and other airborne illnesses.
Other Vaccines: The CDC recommends the following vaccinations for Bermuda: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Meningitis, Polio, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria & Pertussis - aka Whooping Cough), Chickenpox, Shingles, Pneumonia, and Influenza.
~ OTHER AIRBORNE / DIRECT CONTACT ILLNESSES ~
Guests who may experience symptoms of other airborne/direct contact illnesses such as - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Meningitis, Polio, MMR, Tdap - including Whooping Cough, Chickenpox, Shingles, Pneumonia, Influenza, etc. - are required to stay home and reschedule their charter date.
~ UPON ARRIVAL ~
The temperatures of all guests will be checked prior to boarding; those with temperatures of 99-100° will not be permitted to board the vessel.
Guests will be asked to use hand sanitizer prior to boarding and throughout the charter when appropriate. Charter guests will have a separate cooler for their ice, drinks, and food.
~ COVID-19 ANTIGEN / RAPID TEST ~
As noted above, all guests coming on board are encouraged to be fully vaccinated with the latest booster against Covid-19 and other airborne/direct contact illnesses. However, we do recognize that not everyone is vaccinated against Covid-19 and other airborne/direct contact illnesses for a variety of reasons.
If a guest is not vaccinated against Covid-19 specifically - or if a charter guest is traveling and/or cohabitating with a non-vaccinated person, all charter guests will be required to take a Covid-19 Antigen Test the evening before the charter.
If one or more guests are showing symptoms (whether the guest is vaccinated or not), we kindly ask that all guests within the group take a Covid-19 Antigen Test the evening before the charter. Guests’ test results can be sent to EBC via text to 1-441-516-6498 between 5:00pm - 9:00pm the evening before the charter. We kindly ask that guests use the honor system when determining if they have symptoms prior to a charter.
Should the Captain suspect a guest(s) has symptoms related to Covid-19 upon arrival, the Captain reserves the right to require Covid-19 Antigen Tests be taken by all of the guests on the spot. Symptoms may include but are not limited to coughing, sneezing, running nose, allergy-like symptoms, fever, etc. The Captain reserves the right to refuse service to the group should any one guest decline to take a Covid-19 Antigen Test upon his request.
As Covid-19 Antigen Tests are known to produce a "false negative", one positive result among the group will cancel the entire charter for all guests.
~ AFTER DEPARTING ~
Guests are required to report any positive Covid-19 test results and/or positive cases of other airborne/direct contact illnesses to Early Bird Charter up to 7 days after the charter date. Should you test positive, please let us know so we can test ourselves too, and help prevent the spread.
~ WHERE TO BUY ANTIGEN / RAPID TESTS ~
We recommend packing Covid-19 Antigen Tests prior to your departure; any brand of home test will suffice.
You can purchase tests locally in Bermuda at The Phoenix Stores (pharmacies; multiple locations), Lindos (grocery store chain; multiple locations), through “Drop It” - an online delivery service run by Lindos.
You can also purchase antigen tests from Early Bird Charters directly (supply depending). Although, purchasing the tests from EBC is not recommended as the time it takes to complete the tests cuts into your charter time.
“Early Bird Charters is not responsible for any one guest testing positive for Covid-19 or other airborne/direct contact illnesses.
As dates are reserved well in advance - thus preventing Early Bird Charters from Booking other potential clients - the initial 20% Payment will NOT be returned due to a guest testing positive for Covid-19 and/or becoming sick with another illness.”
~ WHY ? ~
We have a “Covid-19 & Airborne/Direct Contact Illness Policy” and are continuing with our safety measures because:
Some of our crew and family members are very vulnerable to Covid-19 and other airborne/direct contact illnesses due to pre-existing conditions.
We interact with the public regularly on charters and while selling fish commercially. We prefer to lower the risk of spreading Covid-19 along with any other airborne/direct contact illness.
Charters occur within close quarters; social distancing does not exist on a boat. Fishing rods, bathrooms, coolers, fishing belts, etc. are all shared on a boat.
Our crew also relies on not contracting Covid-19 and other airborne illnesses in order to earn a living. If we’re sick - we can’t work; “paid sick days” do not exist for self-employed fishermen and women.
