Tighter COVID-19 restrictions coming as Jamaica reaches community transmission phase

 

The authorities are to put in tighter COVID-19 restrictions as soon as Monday following the revelation that Jamaica has now reached the community spread phase of the virus.

 

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton made the disclosure during a media briefing Friday afternoon. 

 

Community transmission means that persons are contracting the virus without any link to a confirmed case.

 

Dr. Tufton said a steep rise in COVID-19 numbers should be expected over the next six to eight weeks. 

 

"In making this declaration, we're alerting the public that the transmission of the virus can no longer be easily traced from one member of the population to the another and that the concern for the transmission for COVID-19 is now islandwide. This...is also an indication of the need for persons, Jamaicans to assume that everyone you come in contact with - whether it is your family member, neighbour, or just a casual passerby - we must assume that that person is positive," the Health Minister urged.  

 

Dr. Tufton said teams are reviewing health protocols currently in place and will issue new protocols, which the Prime Minister will announce on Monday. 

 

He said based on current consultations, these measures will include tighter curfews of 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. islandwide; an increase in the stay at home orders for the elderly; re-emphasis on the work from home order; and a reduction of social gathering limits. 

 

The minister again reiterated that about half the Jamaican population is expected to contract COVID-19 within a year. 

 

"We did suggest, based on the epidemiology study and modelling, that we would see as much as 1.5 million Jamaicans contracting COVID over a 12 month period; that the vast majority would not be affected in any significant way; and that modelling had gone all the way to how many we anticipate would seek medical care, how many would be hospitalised and how many would be requiring intensive care, a ventilator."

 

"It is out of that modelling that we arranged a plan and a budget to support the build out, and so we are seeing the process taking its course and so I urge the population to appreciate that this is a process and we will continue to manage with the help and participation of the public," Dr. Tufton sought to assure.  

 

Up to Thursday, 2,896 cases had been reported locally, including 29 deaths. 

 

Some 242 have been classified as local transmission while 1,300 are under investigation.