On-island testing ‘in train’

In a Twitter exchange, Gavin St Pier said that the States was taking steps to increase testing, and plans were in motion to set up a testing site.

Former deputy Yvonne Burford had asked why people with ‘classic’ Covid-19 symptoms of coughs and fever who had not travelled from specific countries were not being tested

‘Testing capacity is key,’ replied Deputy St Pier.

‘We’re acting to increase including developing on island facility which is in train but can’t turn on tap instantly: this’s why whilst we, unlike UK, remain in “contain” phase community must follow firmer advice (no travel etc.) to give us more time.’

Health advice is for people to use ‘social distancing’ and avoid getting close to others, and Deputy St Pier kept Twitter users up to date on his own experience over the weekend, such as not going to his regular spinning class at Beau Sejour.

But he said he had noticed it taking effect.

‘Anecdotally, social distancing advice is working,’ he tweeted yesterday.

‘On my (solitary) run this morning, I noticed many more runners than normal for time of day on Sunday; and walkers clearly and welcomed being given more distance.

‘Keep it up – for all our sakes.’

He and others had received a lot of calls, emails and messages from people with suggestions and he said that people should ‘keep them coming’.

The States communications team was looking to implement a simple and central way to log suggestions, he added.