By Akil Franklyn on Wednesday, 16 March, 2022 at 08:33 PM

Test cricket returns to Kensington Oval for the first time in two years on Wednesday as West Indies host England in the second game of a three-game test series. 

The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) has been permitted to operate at 100 percent capacity for the upcoming series, which would see the popular cricket ground fully packed for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This is also welcome news for the tourism sector, as hotels, guest houses, and taxi operators have seen an increase in patrons coming in for the upcoming series. 

As reported in the Daily Nation, BCA president Conde Riley noted that an England tour usually has a major tourism component and hotels and restaurants have been fully booked. 

There should be little fear of an outbreak as patrons have to be fully vaccinated to attend and all visitors on the island had to present a negative Rapid Antigent Test or PCR test. 

“The mass influx of people coming has not only tested positive but have been vaccinated so which means the chances of an outbreak are low. That is not to say that it is impossible but it is low risk,” said microbiologist Crystal Bourne. 

Recently positive cases of COVID-19 have been declining with 128 cases out of 1005 tests on Tuesday.