Alderney care home closes to visitors amid Covid case surge

The Connaught Care Home in Alderney has closed to visitors and residents will not be allowed off site after a rise in Covid cases in the island.

As of 5 January, 101 active cases in the Bailiwick are in Alderney. None of these are in hospital.

The Connaught hopes this will be a temporary measure, but has said they must protect residents and staff.

Staff on site can arrange video calls for residents to stay in contact with relatives during this time.

They are also looking for volunteers to assist with domestic duties so carers can continue their vital work.

This announcement comes as part of several new measures announced in the island in a bid to slow the spread of new infections.

All positive lateral flow test results should be reported to Public Health in Guernsey on the Clinical Helpline, as well as notifying the Island Medical Centre, so that the Island’s doctors are aware of positive test numbers.

Islanders who test positive on a LFT should self-isolate for 10 days, reducing to 7 days if they test negative on both day 6 and day 7, and then enter Passive Follow Up.

Those who are self isolating are asked to display a notice on their front door.

A clinic will also run at the Island Medical Centre for islanders to get their booster vaccine. This will run on 8 January between 9:30am and 11am.

Face masks are also now mandatory in shops, unless you are exempt.

There have been reports of islanders without face masks not displaying an exemption card.

The next States of Alderney meeting on 12 January will also be held remotely and will not be open to the public.