By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Friday 14th August 2020) — Complaints by individuals with underlying health conditions who cannot wear face masks have been responded to in new COVID-19 regulations. Inspector Cromwell Henry, at the NEOC COVID-19 Daily Briefing on Saturday 8th August, revealed that the regulations provide exceptions to the wearing of masks.
Regulation 15(2) states: A person shall not be required to wear a mask if he or she is under the age of three years old; suffers with a disability, cognitive impairment, dementia, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease or other similar health conditions; or is within a private space including a private vehicle.
Inspector Henry said under regulation 22(2), a police officer may issue a fixed penalty notice of $500 to any person who contravenes provisions on wearing a face mask in public places. Refusal to pay the $500 ticket results in a court appearance where the magistrate can increase the fine to up to $5,000 and imprisonment up to six months. A public place is defined broadly as “an indoor or outdoor area, whether privately owned, to which the public has access by right or by invitation,” including shopping centres, supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, bars, restaurants, hotels, schools, churches, public transportation, community centres, and government offices.