ROSEAU, Dominica – Dominica says it will not extend the state of emergency and the curfew that had been in place as part of the efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) when it expires on Tuesday.
“The emergency powers come to an end on Tuesday, June 30. The government does not intend to extend this and therefore in large measure we go back to quote unquote the new normal,” Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced.
Dominica had recorded 18 cases of the virus that was first detected in China last December and blamed for the deaths of 502 000 people and infecting 10.2 million others worldwide,.
Health Minister Dr Irvine McIntyre said despite the decision to life the curfew and state of emergency, citizens should continue to follow the various health guidelines put in place to stem the virus as Dominica reopens its borders sometime in July.
“You have to appreciate the fact that the chance of importing a case is real. It has happened all over the world. Dominica is no exception. If we open the borders chances that someone is going to slide in is real.
“So to mitigate that, that is where we have to continue practising all the public health measures that we have been discussing all along,” he said.
He urged Dominicans “to go back to the basics…it is all about our hand hygiene, our social distancing” adding that people should also prevent as much as possible having to go to stores and other business places on a daily basis when only one visit is required. (CMC)
