Unknown number of deputies test positive for Covid-19
COVID has hit a number of deputies following the three-day States meeting which ended on Friday.
It has not been confirmed how many members have tested positive, but it is understood that a raft of deputies from the top deck and the floor are now having to isolate.
In previous meetings, windows have been kept open as a Covid precaution, but States’ Assembly & Constitution Committee president Deputy Carl Meerveld said it was 'numbingly cold' in the chamber this month, even with the windows closed.
‘There were lots of people with winter colds coughing and sneezing, so it was quite an unhealthy environment,’ he said.
He said he had not been approached regarding Covid measures for the last meeting, but if he was to be now, he will discuss it with his committee to see if measures need to be reintroduced when the States meets again in January.
All States members attended the December meeting, except Tina Bury.
John Gollop, who has not been laid low, pointed out that most members had also been to the annual Christmas lunch on Wednesday.
‘It’s quite worrying. We should have had the windows open during the States and maybe wearing masks. Collectively the States didn’t see the risk,’ he said.
‘For the past few meetings the windows have been open, but not wide open, but it was so uncomfortable in the November meeting. As members, nobody thought about going to another venue or going hybrid.’
At the height of the pandemic, meetings were done through Microsoft Teams or hosted at St James Concert Hall. Deputy Gollop said a meeting scheduled for today had now been moved to Teams.
‘Sometimes, at the moment, people are forgetting that Covid is still around,’ said Deputy Gollop.
The annual States of Guernsey Christmas carol service was held on Monday at the Town Church. Many members missed it due to illness.
Alderney’s December States meeting, which was due to be held today, was cancelled after two members tested positive and has now been rescheduled for mid-January.
A minimum attendance of seven members is required for a meeting to take place. Only six are available.
Covid cases total now close to 600
THE number of Covid cases has risen again this week, with nearly 600 active cases having been reported to Public Health.
Cases went up from 423 to 592 in yesterday’s weekly update.
The week before there had been 222 active cases.
The latest results put Guernsey at its highest level of new Covid cases since July.
It is still less than 1% of the island’s population, but there have been concerns in the past that not all cases are being reported to Public Health as islanders needed to self-report.
Islanders are urged to stay at home if they feel ill.
While the vast majority of this week’s cases are in Guernsey, there have been 14 in Alderney.
There are eight patients in hospital with a recent diagnosis of Covid-19.
There have been no new Covid-related deaths in the last week.
There is no compulsory isolation rules currently.
But over-18s testing positives could stay home for at least five days.
If they are asymptomatic they can go out from day six, as long as they wear a mask in enclosed spaces until day 10.
People aged under 18 years should stay at home for three days. They can go out on day four if they are asymptomatic.
Positive cases can also have unlimited outdoor exercise during the first five days, as long as they stay away from other people.
