BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Wednesday 8th April 2020) – With a population of 53,000 where there is 11 COVID-19 patients, 334 individuals released from quarantine, 115 negative test results and 60 test results awaiting, St.Kitts-Nevis is set to enter a third 24-hour lockdown in an attempt to control the spread of the illness under the present state of emergency now scheduled to end on day 21 according to new rules by the government.
The fresh total ‘Stay at home’ restrictions are slated to come into effect from 7:01PM on Thursday 9th April and is expected to be enforced for seven days, ending on Thursday 16th April at 6:00AM.
“These new Regulations, SR&O No. 12 of 2020, will come into effect on Thursday, 9th April at 7:01PM and continue to Saturday, 18th April. Most importantly, there will be a total 24-hour curfew or lockdown from Thursday, 9th April at 7:01PM to Thursday, April 16th at 6:00AM. This means that from Thursday night this week, and continuing over the Easter weekend including Good Friday, Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, until Thursday morning, no one should be away from their residence unless he or she has a special exemption as an essential worker or has a pass or permission from the Commissioner of Police,” Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris said in an address to the nation on the night of Tuesday 7th April 2020.
“Please stay at Home! Stay at Home! Stay at Home so that we can halt the spread of the virus,” he appealed.
Dr. Harris informed that on the advice of Cabinet he has asked the Governor General, Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton, to extend the State of Emergency currently in place, to Saturday, 18th April and to extend regulations made under the Emergency Powers Act.
He pointed out that the St. Kitts and Nevis Constitution provides that a declaration of emergency shall lapse at the expiration of twenty-one (21) days beginning with the date of publication of the declaration.
“Saturday 18th April will be 21 days since the State of Emergency was proclaimed on the 28th of March.”
He said further regulations would also be published in the Official Gazette and would come into force after the current regulations expire on Thursday 9th April at 7:00 PM.
The National Security Minister said there will be two partial curfews come Thursday 16th and 17th April.
“There will then be two more days, on Thursday and Friday next week, when there will be a partial curfew, or limited restrictions, to allow persons to go to supermarkets or shops in their villages, to restock their food supply. Or you may want to get medicine or other essentials. Like the partial curfews that you have experienced so far, they will be interspersed with a night curfew from 7:00PM to 6:00AM the following morning.”
On Saturday 28th March, with two confirmed COVID-19 patients, a state of emergency was declared effective 7:00PM set with a curfew between the hours of 7:00 PM and 5:00 AM for 14 days.
Next, four days of a 24-hour curfew from 7:00PM Tuesday 31st March to 6:00AM Friday 3rd April in the first instance. A curfew remained in place from 7:00PM Friday 3rd April night to 6:00AM Saturday 4th April. Then on that Saturday at 7:00PM, a full 24-hour curfew was reintroduced from Sunday 5th April to Wednesday 8th April at 6:00 AM.