‘Emergency phase of pandemic near to end’

Peter Ferbrache also expressed hope that the new testing regime for Covid-19 would not be in place forever. From next Tuesday lateral flow tests will be provided to double vaccinated travellers arriving from the Common Travel Area.

Deputy Ferbrache said the CCA would disband when it could. ‘But we shouldn’t walk away from the responsibilities that we have,’ he said at the latest CCA briefing yesterday.

‘We’ve only got powers to act if there’s an emergency or likelihood of emergency etc, etc.

‘I can’t guarantee, I doubt that we’ll be exercising our powers beyond the next few months. But I cannot say that, it will depend on the circumstances.

'As for lateral flow and the like, I think that’s going to be with us for some time but hopefully not forever.’

Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said the testing programme would – as ever – be evaluated and its efficacy looked at.

‘We may or may not continue with it. But I think once we are fully vaccinated, we have then done everything we can from a pharmaceutical point of view to protect the adults in our population who wish to be vaccinated,’ she said.

‘We’ve got to work out how we then live, and genuinely not just give lip service to it, but how we actually live in a Covid world because that’s what we’ve got the foreseeable future.

‘When we’re fully vaccinated we will reassess the border policy with regard to the testing and indeed other aspects of the border policy. So nothing is there for forever more. Everything will be reviewed at least every four weeks, usually every two weeks.’

Looking at how people took personal responsibility was needed, said Dr Brink.

‘We are moving away from a legislative framework for managing the Covid pandemic and moving towards one where every single Bailiwick citizen takes personal responsibility for how they manage Covid for themselves – and I think that is a fundamental importance.

‘We have to accept that we‘re going to see cases. We’re going to see clusters of cases, we’re going to see outbreaks and we will manage them as they occur.’

Deputy Ferbrache again apologised for any inconvenience caused by last week’s announcement pre-travel tests would be required – a decision reversed this week.

He set out details of the lateral flow test programme for double-vaccinated adults arriving from the CTA, expressing confidence the tests would arrive on time.

Those travellers will be required to purchase a pack of five lateral flow tests for £25 through the Travel Tracker as a condition of travel to pass through the so-called ‘blue channel’ which requires no quarantine.

They will be asked to take the first test as they arrive at home or at their accommodation, then test every other day. Anyone who tests positive must immediately self-isolate and contact the clinical helpline to book a PCR test.

The States has bought 40,000 lateral flow tests, with another 125,000 being purchased at a cost of more than £17 per test with administration costs on top of that. It was money well spent, said

Deputy Ferbrache.

While the island received larger test packs through the NHS supply chain, those were for surveillance testing for staff in critical sectors.

The travel testing programme was outside this and was not cheap, so it was appropriate to levy a charge and did not believe it was something people could not afford.

Dr Brink said the reason why people could not use their own lateral flow tests was to give a ‘consistent border policy’. She confirmed testing for individuals taking part in surveillance programmes would be synchronised.

Non-resident visitors were again urged to get a pre-arrival test as if they fell ill, they would be best to be at home.