WATCH: Guernsey set to move into next phase

It has now been 15 days since there was a new case of Covid-19 in the island and there are only seven active cases recorded in the Bailiwick.

Guernsey is currently in phase two of six of the lockdown. But due to the positive progress, most elements of phase three will be introduced early, as well as some parts of phase four.

The latest phase will come in tonight.

Health & Social Care President Heidi Soulsby said they were moving forward.

‘As I said on the 5 May, we know we are asking islanders to do slightly different things each time we move into a new phase,' she said.

'The things that we have included in this ease into phase three represents another step towards near normal levels of activity. The way the community have supported the strategy so far means we have moved into the next phase quicker than expected. If we continue in the right direction we hope to include the final elements of phase three in the next couple of weeks.’

Civil Contingencies Authority chairman Gavin St Pier said this was a positive step forward.

'As always, we are having to strike a balance between managing the public health risks and consequences of Covid-19 against the wider health and welfare interests of the Bailiwick, which obviously includes consideration of the economic

consequences of the lock down and its impact on jobs, incomes and businesses,' he said.

'It is in all our interests that we end the lock down as quickly as we safely can, which is why it will be done in a series of calibrated and controlled steps, not one big leap of faith. We will continue to be led by the evidence of Covid-19 in our community and our public health data. While the current evidence leaves the Bailiwick in a really strong position, with every expectation that we can progress more quickly through the exit phases than we might originally have hoped, we will not hesitate to take a step back if we see unexplained evidence of community seeding or clusters developing.'

Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said the Bailiwick's strategy was still to test, trace and quarantine.

'It continues to be effective as evidenced in the lack of new positives and the low number of active cases,' she said.

'Islanders will see from the daily statistics that we are still testing people on a daily basis. Some of these will be symptomatic patients, but we have already begun to proactively seek out cases by targeting certain key workers who we are testing regardless of any symptoms of Covid-19.'

Phase three allows for the reopening of businesses like garden centres, takeaways and non-essential retail.

States chief executive Paul Whitfield said full details of the plan would be published online.

States of Guernsey medical director Dr Peter Rabey said things had been quiet at the hospital lately, but staff had been working hard.