Feeling Sick and Tired?
Stay home and reschedule your charter.
To ensure the passengers’ and crew’s safety, Early Bird Charters (EBC) has specific boarding requirements for all airborne and direct contact illnesses.
Guests are responsible for upholding the Government of Bermuda’s current sanitation regulations to prevent the spread of all airborne and direct contact illnesses.
We kindly ask that guests use the honor system when determining if they have symptoms prior to a charter for any type of airborne or direct contact illness.
~ WHY ? ~
We have a “Illness Policy” because:
Some of our crew and family members are very vulnerable to 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 any other airborne/direct contact illness, including Covid-19.
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 any 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.
Illness Policy
~ 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, and/or has been potentially exposed to any airborne/direct contact illness within the last 3 weeks, including but not limited to Covid-19 Virus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Whooping Cough, Chickenpox, Shingles, Pneumonia, the Seasonal Flu, RSV, and/or Dengue Fever.
Clients are responsible for taking note of all the details within the liability waiver.
Vaccines: The Bermuda Health Department & the CDC recommends the following vaccinations for Bermuda: Covid-19, 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. All guests coming on board are encouraged to be fully vaccinated with the latest booster (age and availability permitting) against these illnesses.
~ AIRBORNE / DIRECT CONTACT ILLNESSES ~
Guests who may experience symptoms of airborne/direct contact illnesses such as - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Meningitis, Polio, MMR, Tdap - including Whooping Cough, Chickenpox, Shingles, Pneumonia, Influenza, Dengue Fever, etc. - are required to stay home and reschedule their charter date.
~ UPON ARRIVAL ~
Early Bird Charters reserves the right to refuse guests the option to board should they appear to be sick upon arrival.
Refunds are not offered if guests arrive at the boat sick for any reason.
The temperatures of guests might be checked prior to boarding; those with temperatures of 99-100°+ will not be permitted to board the vessel.
Guests are encouraged to practice sanitary methods while on board: using hand sanitizer and/or washing hands prior to boarding and throughout the charter when appropriate. Charter guests will have a separate cooler for their ice, drinks, and food.
~ UNDER THE INFLUENCE ~
All guests arriving to the boat under the influence of alcohol and/or any drugs will not be permitted to board. This is for the safety of the Captain, Crew, and the guest(s) themselves. Refunds are not offered for any guests arriving under the influence and/or for those who may be feeling hung over. In short, “sharp minds” are requried for a safe voyage.
~ COVID-19 ANTIGEN / RAPID TEST ~
As noted above, all guests coming on board are encouraged to be fully vaccinated with the latest booster against all airborne/direct contact illnesses. However, we do recognize that not everyone is vaccinated for a variety of reasons.
If one or more guests are unvacinated and showing symptoms (mild or major symptoms), 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. 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.
If the Captain suspects 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.
If you need, 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.
~ AFTER DEPARTING ~
Guests are required to report any positive test results and/or positive cases of any 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.
Early Bird Charters reserves the right to alter the “Illness Policy” at any time.
