Key points and live updates from the April 22, 2021 media conference by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
Minister of Health Jeffrey Bostic
- The positivity rate is about 2 per cent over the last 7 days.
- The aim was to record 25 positive COVID-19 cases per 100 000.
- It is around 39 per 100 000, lower than the last time, but there is still work to be done.
- He thanked the members of the church in the north who heeded the call and presented themselves for testing.
- Some tested positive and part of the statistics over the past two days.
- We depend on each person to play their part.
- There are 11 positive cases from the security guard cluster at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. There is a direct link to the church in the north.
- There are three cases from a day nursery.
- These are being managed, with people being testing and awaiting second test results.
- He appealed to all to follow the protocols and report any matters to authorities to deal with them quickly.
Attorney General Dale Marshall
- A new set of directives – Directive #10 will be issued.
- Parliament was recalled from Easter recess at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow to extend the current state of emergency by 5 months.
- It starts from April 27 to September 25, 2021.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley
- There have been improvements week by week with the COVID situation.
- We will continue to gradually open.
- We recognize the cases we are still having are linked to behaviour Minister Bostic has indicated.
- The new measures will run for three weeks, from April 27 to May 17, 2021.
- This is subject to Parliament tomorrow and agreeing to matters to be addressed.
- During this period
- Extending curfew Thursday to Sunday – starts midnight and ends at 5 a.m.
- Monday to Wednesday – remains no curfew
- Drive in and cinemas will reopen
- Churches – communion can take place
- Baptism can resume with masks and face shields can resume.
- Where possible, baptisms can take place outside
- No picnics/parties or excursions on the bank holidays – April 28 and May 1
- No restrictions on the beach or park
- You cannot be involved in karaoke or feting.
- The bank holidays should be a time to continue the cleanup.
- All sporting activities can resume for practice only and training only
- Essential support personnel can be there
- Not yet in a position to allow some sports like basketball, netball etc.
- Nightclubs, and those purporting to be a nightclubs, will not be allowed to operate
- Because of the dust problem, the opening of schools is affected
- Schools resume online on April 27
- Teachers report for duty online on April 26
- We are dealing with the water issue.
- We insisted the BWA increase the delivery of water
- And more tanks are put into the field so communities without water would be immediately serviced.
- The BWA purchased a number of trucks and asked them to increase the number.
- Mottley asked the BWA to increase communication to affected communities
- We are purchasing water from Dominica
- We are in the process of purchasing 2 to two and a half million gallons of water a week
- We are doing well, we are still not where we need to be, we can get there.
- Continue to stay the course and we will get there