Guernsey will not move into Stage 3 of lockdown exit early, CCA says
Guernsey will not lift all internal Covid-19 restrictions before 22 March, despite the island not discovering a new case of coronavirus for 11 days.
Total active cases in the Bailiwick now stands at one, with that person in the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
The Civil Contingencies Authority (CCA) says Public Health authorities need to assess what, if any, effect the relaxation of restrictions in Stage 2 has on Covid-19 case numbers in the Bailiwick.
Alderney and Sark are both in Stage 3 of lockdown exit already, where everything but border restrictions have been removed.
The CCA is meeting next Tuesday (16 March) when it will make a final decision on Stage 3, but at the briefing on 10 March, Dr Brink said the island would not move earlier than the 22 of March into Stage 3, despite the low numbers.
"We are not being unduly cautious", Deputy Ferbrache said. "We don't want to move backwards", Dr Brink added.
The Chief Minister clarified that after Guernsey moves into Stage 3 there will be no restrictions on the size of gatherings. However, organisers will be given guidance on hygiene and Covid safety by the States of Guernsey's Public Health teams.
Deputy Ferbrache says the CCA will make an announcement this Friday (12 March) on the plan for reopening the Bailiwick's borders this year.
"We want to give people some hope", the Chief Minister said.
One year on from the first Covid-19 case discovered in the Channel Islands, Dr Nicola Brink says testing capacity had increased 50-fold, from 35 swabs a day to between 1,500 and 2,000 daily.
The next Covid media briefing is due to take place at 1pm on Friday 12 March.