Gently does it to avoid return to full lockdown
GUERNSEY is down to just one active case of Covid-19.
But islanders have been warned the exit from lockdown must go slowly to ensure the island does not slide backwards.
Guernsey moved into stage two of the exit strategy on Monday and there is now no evidence that the virus is in the community, with extensive surveillance testing being carried out.
Alderney and Sark are already in stage three, where the only restrictions relate to travel.
Civil Contingencies Authority chairman Peter Ferbrache said at yesterday’s media briefing that the CCA would be making a decision on Tuesday about when Guernsey would move to stage three.
‘Unless something untoward happens, we are very, very likely to make that decision, that it will be on Monday 22 March,’ he said.
‘We are moving through this as quickly as we can. We don’t want to delay it a second longer than we need.’
There have been no new cases for 11 days.
Deputy Ferbrache said despite this good run, it was important to wait for stage three.
‘The schools only opened on Monday/Tuesday,’ he said.
‘Lots of people went back to work on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, we need to have a week to ensure there are not any problems.
‘It’s not being unduly cautious.’
Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said it was important the island did not go backwards.
‘Giving us those two weeks clear, between stage two and stage three, will enable us to monitor if something bubbles up,’ she said.
‘We’ve turned our testing capacity on to the surveillance side of things. It will detects any cases.’
She said the most damaging thing would be if the island went backwards.
The CCA has also been looking at how to reduce Guernsey’s travel restrictions, using what is called the Bailiwick blueprint.
Currently anyone travelling into the island must have a government-issued permit and most people will then face at least two weeks’ quarantine.
Deputy Ferbrache said he was hoping to give more details on Friday.
‘We want to give people hope, because this has been very, very difficult for people,’ he said.
The vaccination programme has been moving forward, with people with moderate health risks currently being vaccinated.
This is stage six on the priority list.
This compares with the UK taking bookings for people in stage eight – those aged 55 and over.
So the UK is two stages ahead of the Bailiwick, despite Guernsey having the same proportion of vaccines supplied per person as the UK.
Dr Brink said this was due to Guernsey having such a high vaccine uptake.
‘The vaccine uptake in the UK is variable in some places,’ she said.
‘We’re having an incredibly positive response from our community, which bodes very well for our future herd immunity.
‘We’re giving as much as we can and I think we are just having a really good vaccine uptake.’