Guernsey Press

Only six active cases, as Guernsey moves towards stage two

GUERNSEY has now had six consecutive days of no new cases and the island is down to six active cases, as the island moves closer to stage two of the island's exit from lockdown.

Published
Last updated
Details of second wave of Covid-19. (29306815)

Public Health director Dr Nicola Brink announced the positive news at today's press conference.

Joining the panel today was Education, Sport & Culture president Andrea Dudley-Owen, who discussed schools as they look forward to them reopening on Monday.

Civil Contingencies Authority chairman Peter Ferbrache said it would be a big day on Monday for many more besides.

'We're moving, in Guernsey, to stage two, which businesses that haven't been able to open will open, people that haven’t been able to go will go back to work, and the number of bubbles will increase, activity will be able to increase,' he said. 'We're trying to exit this lockdown in big bitesize chunks and this is the biggest bitesize chunk we're coming to in just a few days.'

States chief executive Paul Whitfield updated people on the rules for moving to stage two.

Stage three will follow stage two if all goes well was the message.

However, Deputy Ferbrache compared it to a race.

'We're winning the race and the results have been spectacular results but we've still got to be vigilant,' he said.

'I remember watching a race years ago and the athlete was five yards before the finish line he thought he'd won it, then somebody came up and beat him because he relaxed too soon.

'We can't relax too soon because there's this blinking horrible thing the virus won't relax, so we've got to continue, be vigilant and do all the things that we need to do.'

He reminded people that the island has one of the highest vaccination rates per capita in the world, with more freedom than most other jurisdictions over the last few months and the task was not to go backwards.

Children also got the chance to ask their questions at the conference today via CCA member Deputy Heidi Soulsby.