BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 8th May 2020)-Limited beach access, a different nightly curfew as well as an extra day of limited operations along with an added hour have been included in a fresh two-week schedule for the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Regulations, slated Saturday 9th May to Saturday 23rd May 2020, surrounding new restrictions for measures in place for the fight against the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris gave details in an address to the nation on Thursday 7th May in a follow-up to the current guidelines that expires on Saturday 9th May 9th at 5:59am.
He said “these regulations will continue the process of gradually opening our Federation to more economic and social activity” whilst noting “We must do so cautiously and carefully. Danger still lurks and the war against this global pandemic is far from over or won.”
As explained, on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May, there will be a 24-hour (total lockdown) curfew as done during recent weekends for this two-week period.
There will be five days of limited business operations this time around which now sees an extra day included.
“From Monday 11th May and every day next week to Friday 15th May, businesses will enjoy an additional day of limited operations as long as they practice social distancing and physical distancing protocols,” Dr. Harris said.
According to him: “They must also provide for a sanitized environment and insist that their staff and customers wear face masks, as we turn to a semblance of near normalcy. No one, I repeat, no one should be out in public without wearing a mask or an article covering his or her nose and mouth.”
Dr. Harris further stated that regulations will also provide for a similar pattern to be followed during the week beginning Monday, 18th May to Friday 22nd May. That is, there will be five days of limited business operations from Monday to Friday.
“Some restrictions under these regulations will be relaxed. We will, for example, extend the day of limited operations to 8:00pm instead of 7:00pm to allow businesses to have an additional hour in the evening. Where businesses would have closed at 5:00pm to allow customers and staff to conform to the 7:00pm start of the nightly curfew, they can now close to the public at 6:00pm. Businesses will not only have a five-day work week to operate but an additional hour as well on each day of limited business operations.”
Concerning the nightly curfew, Dr. Harris noted that such will continue and that it must be adhered to. Nightly curfew will now start at 8:00pm and end an hour earlier at 5:00am the following day.
On the topic of limited access to beaches, he told that the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws recommended that beaches can be re-opened for swimming and exercising only between the hours of 5:30am and 9:00am.
“A physical distance of at least six feet must be maintained between individuals unless they are members of the same household. But there should be absolutely no beach parties nor picnics allowed. Let me repeat, there should be absolutely no beach parties nor picnics allowed. These activities increase the risk of transmission of the virus, which we are working so very hard to contain.”