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.