From unknown illness to island in lockdown
At the end of 2019, a cluster of cases of a pneumonia of unknown cause was reported around a Chinese seafood market. What is now known as Covid-19 has infected more than two million people globally and claimed more than 130,000 lives. Zach Coffell reports on the path of a disease which has seen the island in lockdown for nearly a month.
WHEN the pneumonia outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January, no one could tell what an impact it would have on the world.
The new coronavirus was named Covid-19 on 11 February, and declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on 11 March.
Guernsey is now bound by what Civil Contingencies Authority chair Gavin St Pier has described as ‘the most far reaching deprivation of personal liberties since the Second World War’ in a bid to contain the virus behind that outbreak.
The pace of change has been astonishing and unlike anything seen in most or our lifetimes.
As attention turns increasingly to an exit strategy, this is how Guernsey has responded to Covid-19 so far.
23 January
THE States said it was ready for the arrival of the virus on our shores, citing a tabletop simulation of a pandemic flu it had conducted in mid-November as evidence of its preparation.
29 January
THE first travel advice was released, asking those returning from China to self-isolate for two weeks.
10 February
THE first batch of precautionary tests were dispatched to the UK but were delayed by bad weather and pressure on UK labs.
In mid-February, Health & Social Care entered discussions with Covid-19 test hardware suppliers.
Soon after, a Grammar School student displayed Covid-19 symptoms upon returning from a February half-term ski trip to Piedmont in the north-west of Italy.
25 February
ALL 29 members of staff and pupils who were on the trip entered self-isolation and were tested for the virus.
All tests came back negative.
6 March
HEALTH & Social Care placed an order for the extraction platform and amplification platform required for on-island testing and in the following week ordered reagents.
9 March
GUERNSEY’S first positive test for Covid-19
The patient had travelled back from Tenerife, a group B country, and Dr Brink took the chance to emphasise importance of self-isolation upon return.
11 March
FIRST cruise ship visit cancelled.
12 March
DR BRINK advised against any non-essential travel in or out of the island, with anyone returning from any destination required to self-isolate for two full weeks regardless of symptoms.
Guidance intensified when Public Health told anyone with any respiratory symptoms, including runny noses, coughs and even aching muscles, to self-isolate until they had been free of symptoms for at least 48 hours.
16 March
DR BRINK said it was too early to close schools because it could lead to children being looked after by grandparents, who could fall into the vulnerable category.
19 March
ANNOUNCEMENT made that schools would be on hiatus from 23 March until at least the end of the Easter holidays.
20 March
NIGHTCLUBS and bars that did not serve food were closed and opening hours were curtailed to lunch and dinner and the hardship fund was implemented to support those who were suffering financially from the Covid-19 slowdown.
21 March
IT WAS announced that 15 cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed in a 24 hour period.
The majority were in clusters who had travelled together or socialised together abroad, rather than from community seeding.
24 March
THE Civil Contingencies Authority locked down Guernsey for an initial period of two weeks, although this would later be extended a further two weeks on 8 April.
Islanders were not allowed to leave their houses unless for essential reasons such as shopping, collecting medicine or two hours of exercise.
27 March
A ‘RED zone’ was established in the Emergency Department to treat patients presenting with Covid-19 symptoms.
28/29 March
ON-ISLAND testing was established, just a few days after the arrival of essential hardware which drastically improved turnaround times to a day, sometimes quicker, allowing Public Health to manage situations in real time.
Almost as soon as it is operational, three positive cases are rapidly identified in a nursing home
30 March
THE first death attributed to Covid-19.
3 April
COVID-19 prevention measures had spread to funerals, with only immediate family members or a few close friends allowed to attend
8 April
HOSPITAL, hospice and care home visits ceased to prevent vulnerable people aside from some exceptions including end of life visits. Even stricter measures introduced later.
14 April
THE States held its first virtual meeting under what Deputy St Pier has dubbed the ‘new normal’.
