Bailiwick Blueprint

The Bailiwick of Guernsey went into full lockdown for the second time on Saturday 23rd January 2021. 

The community is asked to stay at home except for:

• Carrying out essential shopping for food or supplies
• Essential Work
• Up to two hours recreational activity outdoors
• Seeking medical care

All non-essential businesses and trades had to stop operating from their premises and work remotely wherever possible. Schools were closed to all children and young people initially. Vulnerable students and children whose parents are both essential workers (unless in a single parent household), AND where all adults in the home need to leave the house to work, were able to return from Monday 8th February, if they had a received a negative result for COVID-19. 

From Thursday 11th February, activities with minimal risk were allowed to operate. This includes: 

1. Lone workers who are not considered essential workers may also return to their place of work if:

• They cannot work remotely;
• They are the only person present on the premises; and
• They have no physical contact with colleagues, customers or clients.

2. Support Bubbles. 

Lone Workers

For those working in indoor trades, this means that lone workers may return to offices, workshops or other premises. This may make it possible, for example, for non-essential retailers to fulfill and deliver or dispatch orders received online as long as they can undertake work without any contact with other individuals, whether colleagues, customers or clients.

For those who work in outdoor trades, this means that lone workers may return to property and building maintenance, gardening and horticulture, and fishing or other maritime trades as long as they can undertake work without any contact with other individuals, whether colleagues, customers or clients.

If the lone working policy is not adhered to that individual will put the whole island at risk of a further outbreak and reversion to lockdown.

Support Bubbles

The 2020 Community Survey demonstrated that some people within the community were more likely to be detrimentally affected by the social restrictions in place during lockdown. This is further supported by the queries being received during the current lockdown. As such, from 11th February 2021 the following groups will be able to form a support bubble - effectively a support network which links 2 households. The following households would be eligible to form a support bubble:

• Where there is only one adult (this includes households with one adult living alone or one adult and any children under the age of 18);
• Where there is only one adult carer (this means households where this is one adult carer and anyone else living within the household has a disability and requires continuous care);
• Where there is a child under one, regardless of how many other adults are in the household;
• Where there is a child under 5 with a disability that requires continuous care (regardless of how many other adults are in the household); or
• Where an individual needs to move to another household to support their physical and mental wellbeing.

The Direction of the Civil Contingencies Authority details what can be undertaken. This can be found here, or in the downloads section of this page.

Criteria for moving to the next stage:

• No new clusters of infections or individual cases of infection that cannot be controlled by ‘Test, Track and Isolate’;
• Adequate hospital and primary care capacity;
• Continued local testing;
• Surveillance programme;
• Continued roll-out of vaccine;
• Public adherence

Stage 1 of lockdown began on Monday 22 February 2021 across the Bailiwick.

Within this stage, two households will be able to bubble and outdoor gatherings of up to 5 people, maintaining a minimum of 2m social distance, can take place.

Non-public facing work places will be able to operate with:

• Up to 10 members of staff for outdoor sites
• Up to 5 members of staff for indoor sites where the work cannot be done remotely

Social distancing must be observed and sufficient handwashing facilities provided. 

Deliveries and takeaways are able to operate within the parameters and requirements of this stage.

This includes but is not limited to, finance, legal and professional services including property transactions, ICT and communications, bulk mailing and fulfilment, light manufacturing, catering, non-essential retail where goods can be sold online and delivered, construction with strict limit/conditions on non-resident workers, marine, motor vehicle and other repairs.

There will be a requirement on businesses to notify the States of Guernsey of their intention to operate and to maintain records, demonstrating that they are working to a clear method statement.

Criteria for moving to the next stage:

• No new clusters of infections or individual cases of infection that cannot be controlled by ‘Test, Track and Isolate’;
• Adequate hospital, primary care, community and emergency service capacity;
• Continued local testing;
• Surveillance programme;
• Continued roll-out of vaccine;
• Public adherence

Guernsey was in Stage 2 from 8th March - 22 March 2021.

Sark was in Stage 2 from 25th February - 4th March 2021.

Alderney was in Stage 2 from 2nd March - 9th March 2021.

Recovery Stage 2 will include: 

• Gatherings of 30 people outdoors and 20 people indoors, socially distanced if not in your household/bubble. Gatherings with people outside of your bubbles should not take place inside your home or garden. 
• Public facing businesses can operate – with the exception of nightclubs – subject to following Public Health guidance.
• Restaurants, pubs, hotels and other food establishments will be able to operate with table service only (food must be served and not only alcohol).
• Bubbles will be extended which means that a 'bubble' made up of 2 households will also be able to bubble up with another 'bubble' which is also made up of 2 households. What this means is that a total of 4 households can mix and this will become an exclusive bubble for Stage 2.
• Recreational time will be unlimited. 

Businesses will be required to maintain records, demonstrating that they are working to a clear method statement.

No public singing, or playing of woodwind and brass instruments can take place. 

Criteria for moving to the next stage:

• No new clusters of infections or individual cases of infection that cannot be controlled by ‘Test, Track and Isolate’;
• Adequate hospital, primary care, community and emergency service capacity;
• Continued local testing;
• Surveillance programme;
• Continued roll-out of vaccine;
• Public adherence;
• Specific consideration on cases since entering Recovery Stage 2 to assess particular risks.

Sark moved into Stage 3 on Thursday 4th March 2021.

Alderney moved into Stage 3 on Tuesday 9th March 2021.

Guernsey moved into Stage 3 on Monday 22nd March 2021.

The Bailiwick of Guernsey will not enter Recovery Stage 3 until at least 14 days after Recovery Stage 2, dependent on cases. 

Recovery Stage 3 will see a return to a normal level of activity within the Bailiwick, with social, recreation and business activity able to take place.

There will be no requirement for social distancing or face coverings however this will continue to be recommended for vulnerable individuals.

The Bailiwick of Guernsey is now in stage 3 of lockdown. Recovery Stage 3 sees a return to a normal level of activity within the Bailiwick, with social, recreation and business activity able to take place.

There will be no requirement for social distancing or face coverings however this will continue to be recommended for vulnerable individuals.

Schools and education

Schools, colleges and early years providers (pre-schools, nurseries and child-minders) were able to open as of Monday 8 March 2021. For more information, please go to https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/education.

Vaccinations

The Community Vaccination Centre opened on Monday 25 January, at Beau Sejour so please attend your appointment if you have one booked. For more information, please go to https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/vaccine.

COVID-19 Symptoms

Please continue to be extra vigilant for any symptoms of COVID-19. More information about the symptoms and how you can treat symptoms at home is available at: https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/symptoms. If you do start to experience any symptoms, no matter how mild, please contact the Clinical Helpline by calling 01481 756938 or 01481 756969.

If you feel very unwell, phone 999 and tell the operator of your symptoms. Please do not visit your GP or the Emergency Department at the hospital unannounced.

Exit from lockdown framework

The framework for exiting the current lockdown has been agreed. For more information and to view the full framework, please go to: https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/exit.

Self-isolation scenarios

We have received a number of questions from people who are still unsure if they need to self-isolate and how long for. 

We appreciate that there are lots of different circumstances with some being more complex than others, and this can make things confusing. 

In light of this we have updated and widened the below guidance. 

1) If you are showing symptoms, however mild, you must self-isolate immediately and call the Clinical Helpline on 01481 756938 or 01481 756969 so that a test can be arranged.

Individuals who have been identified as a contact by the Contact Tracing Team and have been tested will need to self-isolate for 14 days from the last contact with the positive case even if the test is negative. 

If you have not been contact traced, or do not fall into one of the other scenarios, you can leave isolation on receipt of a negative result.

This requirement to self-isolate also applies to all that choose to self-isolate as a household.

2) If you have been living or working with someone who has symptoms and who is waiting for a test, stay at home until you know that they have had a negative test.

If you are considered to be an essential worker, contact your line manager.

Contact the Clinical Helpline on 01481 756938 or 01481 756969 if symptoms develop.

This requirement to self-isolate also applies to all that choose to self-isolate as a household.

3) If you have had no known exposure to COVID-19 follow the rules and stay at home unless for one of the identified essential reasons.

4) If you have been told by the Contact Tracing Team to self-isolate, or you have received a letter saying that you need to self-isolate, go into self-isolation and follow the instructions provided by Public Health. This is mandatory self-isolation.

5) If you have recently travelled back to the Bailiwick you are also required to self-isolate. All countries and regions are classified as Category 4, and therefore you must self-isolate until you have received a negative result from a Day 1 and a Day 13 test. If you decline a Day 1 and a Day 13 test, you will have to self-isolate for 21 days. Those who choose to self-isolate with someone who has travelled to the Bailiwick will also need to adhere to the same requirement. 

If you are self-isolating with other people in your household following travel, you will need to complete an online form which can be found at www.gov.gg/isolatetogether. This is to ensure that everyone is registered and offered a day 13 test.

Emergency measures in place for health and social care services

The operating theatres at the PEH are now open for all procedures. Those undergoing surgery will be tested beforehand and are advised to self-isolate for two weeks prior to the date of their procedure.

The Day Patient Unit is back to normal levels of activity.

Most outpatient clinics have recommenced and patients can attend with one companion, if notified in advance. Community outpatient clinics are operating as normal.

Islanders who have to attend the Emergency Department or other areas of the hospital will be asked to social distance and will see staff wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The Medical Specialist Group will switch to virtual outpatient appointments where possible (telephone and web) and will use PPE to see people who need urgent consultations.

PPE stocks are good and we have sufficient for enhanced use both in health and social care facilities and the private care home sector.

Extra staff have been deployed into the scheduling and swabbing teams to manage the anticipated additional workload.

Visitors to Hospital are now permitted but for no more than one hour a day at a predetermined time and only 1 visitor per patient will be allowed each day. All visitors will be streamed for signs and symptoms of  COVID including a temperature check, before entering the hospital and your contact details will be taken. Face masks must be worn at all times and not coverings. You should not attend the hospital if feeling unwell in any way or have any of the typical COVID symptoms.