Bahamas Travel Advisory Reissued by State Department

The US Department of State reissued a Level 2 Travel Advisory for The Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

This ‘Exercise Increased Caution’ advisory by the State Department indicates that visitors to The Bahamas are experiencing various types of ‘crime.’ 

The updated advisory says ‘violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assault, occur even during the day and in tourist areas. Although the family islands are not crime-free, the vast majority of crime occurs on New Providence and Grand Bahama Islands.’ 

And, ‘U.S. government personnel are not permitted to visit the area known by many visitors as the Sand Trap area in Nassau, due to crime.’

‘Watercraft are often not maintained, and many companies do not have safety certifications to operate in The Bahamas. Jet-ski operators have been known to commit sexual assaults against tourists.’

Additionally, the Canadian and the United Kingdom governments issued similar travel advisories for The Bahamas during August 2019. 

The US State Department says if you decide to travel to The Bahamas, you should take the following preventive actions:

• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
• Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.
• Follow the advice of resort and tour operators regarding local safety and security concerns
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations, such as this Traveler’s Checklist.

Additionally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its travel vaccine suggestions for The Bahamas on August 2, 2019. 

The CDC suggests various preventive vaccines prior to traveling abroad, as well as medicines and supplies. Specifically, the CDC suggests a measles vaccination since The Bahamas is included in the CDC’s June 2019 worldwide measles alert.

The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and Proquad vaccines are available at most travel clinics and pharmacies.

Pre-trip counseling sessions can be scheduled at Vax-Before-Travel and financial support programs can be found at Vaccine Discount. 

Published by Vax-Before-Travel