A JetBlue flight attendant who was held in Jamaica after a positive COVID 19 test was expected to leave the country this weekend, but not without controversy.
According to The Jamaica Observer, police say the woman, identified as Kalina, was never kidnapped. The outlet reports she posted videos on social media saying she was in distress while she waited out a mandatory 14 day quarantine in her hotel room, and that she asked influencers and celebrities for help. Kalina has maintained that her positive result was wrong.
Jamaican media reports say she arrived on the island with friends on January 28 and was set to leave on February 1. On January 30, an antigen test came back positive, and a second test about an hour later reportedly came back negative. Because of the mixed results, Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness recommended a PCR test on February 2, which reportedly came back positive. She was ordered to quarantine for 14 days.
Her hotel, Ocean Coral Spring, said it offered to let her finish quarantine at the resort at no extra cost instead of moving her to a government facility. Tanesha, the hotel’s director of sales, told The Jamaica Gleaner that Kalina was not missing and was being looked after, with daily room service, contact with the resort’s medical provider and contact with local public health officials.
Jamaican officials also said she did not take down her videos, and that she removed her Instagram profile after JetBlue stepped in, according to local reports. Police asked the public to stop sharing the kidnapping claims.
Kalina has said she was never missing or kidnapped, and that she would let the matter be handled legally. Her version of events and the officials’ version differ, and we will share more as it is reported.
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