PM Announces New Measures To Contain COVID-19

Published 8 December 2021

Basseterre 

Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source

WRITTEN BY: LATONYA LINTON

PM Announces New Measures To Contain COVID-19

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Tuesday (December 7), announced changes to the measures aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The new measures will become effective on December 10 and end on January 14, 2022.

Speaking in the House of Representatives, Mr. Holness said that the curfew hours will now be from 10:00 p.m. nightly until 5:00 a.m. the following morning.

“Except for Christmas Eve night, December 24, the curfew will commence past midnight and start at 1:00 a.m. early Christmas morning and for New Year’s Eve night, December 31, the curfew will commence after midnight at 1:00 a.m. early on New Years Day,” Mr. Holness said.

He also informed that operating hours for beaches, rivers and water attractions have been extended to 5:00 p.m., instead of the current 4:00 p.m.

The mandatory work-from-home order for the public sector will come to an end on December 31.

“There has been a number of concerns expressed about the loss of productivity that this measure is having. We need to get back to normal but, of course, to do so safely. This is not to say that we are abandoning work from home totally; it will be an option but not a requirement,” Mr. Holness said.

“Individual ministries, departments and agencies should assess their own circumstances and determine what is best. The goal is to return to full productivity effective the first workday in January 2022. So, the public sector must get back to work at their workplaces,” he added.

Mr. Holness also informed that there are no changes to the gathering limits. The general public gathering limit remains at 10 persons, and the limit on the number of persons in attendance at a place of worship remains at 100; however, no crusades, conferences or conventions are permitted.

The number of persons permitted to physically attend a wedding remains at 100, so, too, the limit on the number of persons physically attending annual general meetings (AGM).

Physical attendance at any event hosted by public entities will continue to be limited to a maximum of 50 persons.

“As I had indicated previously, any public event held by the Government must be a controlled event by invitation only and only attended by persons who are fully vaccinated. I have attended a few and the public sector has [done] very well in ensuring that these rules are followed,” Mr. Holness said.

Funeral services are permitted with a maximum of 20 persons physically present, including mourners, clergy and support personnel. Burials are permitted Mondays to Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. with a maximum of 20 persons present.

In relation to visits to infirmaries and correctional institutions, Mr. Holness said the Government recognises that the “no visitor” policy has caused great hardship.

“We are reviewing it, particularly as we approach the Christmas season. The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has announced that we are reviewing the measures, and those measures are likely to include a pretest before being allowed to enter. It is also likely that only vaccinated persons will be allowed to enter, but these measures are being studied carefully. Both the Minister of National Security and the Minister of Local Government will make their announcements shortly,” Mr. Holness told the House.

Regarding the controlled-entry protocols, the requirement for all travellers to present a negative COVID-19 test conducted within three days of travel remains in place, as does the requirement to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival for persons who are not fully vaccinated.

However, fully vaccinated persons, who obtain a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test as their pretest prior to travel, will not be required to conduct another PCR test after arrival in order to be released from quarantine.

In relation to the travel ban on the Southern African countries, Mr. Holness said given that the COVID variant (Omicron) has now been seen in nearly 40 countries and in 17 states in the United States, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is now reviewing the situation.

“At some point, the virus will become the dominant strain and make the ban pointless. So given our open economy, it is inevitable that the Omicron variant will enter Jamaica at some point. The purpose of the band is to delay its arrival in Jamaica to give us time to get more information and to prepare us,” Mr. Holness said.

He noted that this is a strategy that the Government has used in the management of the pandemic.

“It has worked; it has served us well. It is not meant in any way to be discriminatory to our good friends and partners. I want my brothers and sisters in South Africa to know that this is just pre-emptive, and we would never do anything to support any perception of Africa as being a cause of spread. We are reviewing and, in short order, we will make an announcement,” Mr. Holness said.