Guernsey Press

CCA deserves support for its Covid response

FROM the best evidence available, the island is irretrievably split over whether opening its borders to those who have been ‘double jabbed’ against Covid-19 without further testing is a pragmatic response to living with the pandemic – or a rash exercise in putting Guernsey at unacceptable risk.

Published

Increasingly, this fracture in views is along age lines. Younger islanders cannot wait to resume their lives while the older generations are far more cautious. Yet the picture is more nuanced than that.

Those, irrespective of age, with businesses that depend on footfall, especially from off-island, believe opening up on 1 July is far too slow. And those whose lifestyle includes frequent trips away from Guernsey, for business or pleasure, have conducted their own risk assessment – for heaven’s sake, leave such decisions to us.

This leaves the Civil Contingencies Authority exactly where it expected to be – unable to please any majority section of island opinion and open to criticism however the easing of restrictions plays out, for good or ill.

It has, however, called this critical issue well. There was an argument for earlier relaxation, but the CCA played safe. It now believes the level of vaccination, health services preparedness and treatments available mean any outbreaks of Covid caused by people travelling here can be contained.

This is a sensible approach. Yes, many will argue that is exposing islanders unnecessarily. The reality is the Bailiwick cannot survive, nor can its residents, with the drawbridge permanently raised. Cases here will spike, masks may be needed and social distancing return.

But the imperative now is harm reduction, not prevention. Life will never go back to a pre-Covid normal but it has to evolve into a new normal as we learn to live with the disease.

Given good fortune, easing border restrictions will go without incident and islanders will welcome the additional freedoms. If not, bitter experience shows that the island has the ability to cope and protect its citizens.

If there is a sudden spike in cases after 1 July, the CCA will deserve support, not criticism, for its leadership.