LIVE UPDATES: COVID Management February 18, 2021

Article by sherrylynclarke@nationnews.com

Key points and live updates from the February 18, 2021 COVID management press conference featuring Attorney General Dale Marshall, Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith and Dr Chaynie Williams, consultant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Attorney General Dale Marshall

We are now at Directive #4 which became effective at midnight last night and will expire at midnight February 28, 2021.
There is a current curfew in Barbados from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
A number of people are moving around and Barbadians are not understanding what is expected of them.
It seems they feel they should only be home during curfew and can do as they please.
For those who feel this, there is a stipulation in this directive that during the daylight hours, unless you have legitimate business, you are expected to stay within the curtilage of your home.
Curtilage is the boundaries of your property.
You are not to leave your residence.
You can go outside your house but no further than the boundaries of your home.
You can only leave your home in case of emergency or if you are a member of an essential service.
During daylight hours, you are allowed to go to buy bread, operate businesses once exempt, the pharmacy for example.
Other than that you are required to stay at home.

Stay at Home Weekend

We have required in the new directive (Clause 8) on Saturday and Sunday (February 20 and 21) you are required to stay at home, but there are certain businesses that would have been opened that are being closed.
Bakeries can open to bake bread for Monday; baking depots will be closed.
Gas stations will be closed on the weekend – Saturday and Sunday – if you need gas fill up.
Beaches and parks are closed Saturday and Sunday.

A number of employers are issuing letters to employees saying they are part of an essential service. This will not be allowed.
The only emergency passes issued are issued by the Government of Barbados and approved by the Attorney General.
The police will not be accommodating that.
Religious arrangement will continue.
Services: No more than ten people can be present for service or streaming of service.
Funerals: No more than ten mourners, including an officiant and funeral director
Weddings: Bride, groom, two witnesses and marriage officer.
Owners of shops who applied for assistance, if you are opening your shops in breach of the law, you will be denied financial assistance from Government.

For clarification on the issuing of passes:

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has 2 300 staff members.
Instead of issuing these passes, staff can use their ID if stopped by police.
Farmers and fishermen can also present their IDs as proof of entitlement to be on the road during this current period of lockdown.
Public Service Vehicles are not affected by the stay at home directive this weekend.
Essential service workers still need to be on the road, whether going to work or for health care.
Those who are part of the TAP programme, Transport Board and PSVs, will be allowed to operate.
Protocols must be adhered to on all vehicles.
Taxi drivers must have emergency passes to be on the road.
For those travelling this weekend, travel documents, plane ticket and passport are proof you can be on the road during the stay at home weekend.
Fishermen/boating community are entitled to check their vessels.
Passes have also been issued to caregivers and they are directed to the Ministry of Elder Affairs.
Some people are trying to finesse the system, but there must be a vetting system, so there will be delays in issuing the passes.
Passes will be revoked if they are abused by individuals.
There is no issue with fishermen going out retrieving and setting their fish pots.
Fishermen can go out to fish – whether using long lines, nets or pots.
Barbadians need their fish; but fish markets are closed.
Commercial fishermen need to realise if they go out, they may not be able to move their products.

Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith

20 curfew cases brought before to court.
There are those who continue to flout the directives.
People are still attempting to open shops and other businesses.
People are not wearing their masks, and are not wearing them appropriately.
Instances of people crowding at the beaches.
Going forward there will be a zero tolerance policy to people breaching the directives.
There are 15 teams of two to three people in the three territorial divisions performing protocol monitoring functions.

Dr Chaynie Williams

Elective surgeries curtailed to respond to emergencies.
In the last week, 10 people diagnosed with COVID in the Emergency Department.
They presented with respiratory illnesses.
These individuals had to be transferred to one of the isolation facilities.

When to seek help if you have symptoms:

Don’t stay at home hoping to feel better, call for advice.
The COVID hotline (5364500) has a team of health care professionals who will answer your questions.
Call the QEH help desk
The destination will be based on what is explained by the person calling.