Islanders receiving a positive lateral flow test will no longer be able to request a confirmatory PCR test.
This decision has been made to help manage capacity at the Pathology Lab and hospital testing facility, which are currently stretched due to the high number of cases in the current wave and associated staffing challenges within those teams.
Education is re-introducing its package of enhanced measures from tomorrow (Thursday 17th March 2022) to help alleviate pressures in settings because of the current wave of COVID-19 infections.
These measures have been developed in consultation with Public Health and are designed to support the priority objective of keeping educational schools and settings fully operational and therefore minimising any disruption to young people’s education.
-COVID-19 cases having large impact on delivery of essential services due to staff absences
-Community support for range of measures essential to help alleviate current pressures
-Hospital is very stretched and needs to be protected
The Civil Contingencies Authority has today reviewed the current impact of rising COVID-19 case numbers on the delivery of essential services and has strongly urged the Bailiwick community to increase their uptake of sensible mitigations to help slow the spread of the virus.
Urgent measures that community need to support
The whole Bailiwick community needs to support the following measures if we are to protect key services:
The Policy & Resources Committee is publishing recommendations to the States for reviewing the Bailiwick’s COVID-19 response.
The Committee believes the review should look at how well-prepared government was, and how well did the States do in operational delivery, in the context of responding to the pandemic. The States will be presented with two options for how a review could be approached.
Due to an increase in patients in hospital with COVID-19, combined with the PEH’s Intensive Care Unit and Higher Dependency Unit being very busy, visitor restrictions are being introduced to try and help alleviate some of the current pressures.
Islanders are again being urged to take responsible steps to limit the transmission of COVID-19 within the community.
COVID-19 has not gone away and while the number of people becoming very sick continues to be low, largely as a result of the success of the vaccination programme, we are trying to ensure essential services do not become significantly impacted as a result of COVID-related staff absences.
Staying at home when you are unwell needs to become ingrained in the Bailiwick’s culture if we are to minimise outbreaks of COVID-19 once all legal restrictions are removed tomorrow (Thursday 17th February 2022).
And business owners and managers are being asked to support and encourage staff to continue doing the right thing by staying at home if they are unwell, or if they have tested positive for COVID-19, as we move forward to live responsibly with the virus.
The Community Vaccination Centre will move out of the Sir John Loveridge Hall before the end of March, freeing it up to re-open for sport from early April.
This positive announcement is further evidence of the steady progress being made towards the long-term management of COVID-19 and comes on the same day that the island reached 80% of its target for booster doses. A total of 40,885 people have now received their booster dose, which provides the whole community with significant protection from the virus.
The Civil Contingencies Authority has today announced that, from 17th February 2022, it will no longer use emergency powers to manage COVID-19 – signalling an end to legally mandated self-isolation for cases and the removal of all border restrictions.
However, the need for vigilance has not disappeared and the Authority is urging the community to continue to act responsibly, particularly regarding the absolute need for people to stay at home if unwell to minimise the risk of outbreaks. All islanders and employers are asked to take this important Public Health message onboard and support it by not only acting responsibly themselves, but also by encouraging everyone around them to do the same.
Islanders needing pre-travel tests, both PCR and observed lateral flow, can access them through GP practices. They are offering this service during normal working hours and on Saturday mornings. Please be advised you should contact surgeries in advance to allow plenty of time for the test to be booked within the window needed for travel. Observed lateral flow tests are also available from some pharmacies in the island.
