Holness announces weekend lockdowns

THIRTEEN of Jamaica's hospitals have run out of space and are housing COVID-19 patients in less than ideal situations. In fact, persons have been put in makeshift areas of the hospital.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the current positivity rate of nearly four in every 10 persons, and the high levels of hospitalisation represent an "existential threat" to the country's health system.

"The potential breakdown of our health system is more than something that we are speculating about. It is a serious threat and it is of grave concern," the prime minister said yesterday as he announced tighter measures to bring the spike under control.

Addressing a Jamaica House press briefing on Sunday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the lockdowns would begin from midday on Saturdays to Mondays at 5 a.m. over the next three weeks. Businesses have been told to be closed by midday on Fridays over the the next three weeks to give persons opportunities to shop for the weekend.

"Effectively, we have given three weekends of weekend lockdowns inclusive of the Easter holidays," the prime minister said.

Urgent medical services

Holness said that persons who violate the orders would be prosecuted. He said that essential services would operate and farmers and fisherfolk would be allowed to work. Persons would be allowed to seek urgent medical services or to facilitate overseas travel.

"You will be prosecuted. You will be charged. The police are vaccinated, so too are the soldiers ... so we are expecting that there will be a higher level of prosecution," Holness said.

In the meantime, the restrictions on burials have been amended. Starting this Wednesday, until April 13, burials would be allowed on weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. No more than 15 persons can be present. The burial should not be longer than half an hour. The police must be informed about burials at least two days in advance.

Churches would be allowed to have services, but no more than 12 persons would be allowed in places of worship to record or do electronic broadcast these services. A list of the persons who will be at the church must be given to the police seeking permission for the service to take place.

"The Easter season is one of the holiest worship seasons on our religious calendar. It is not the intention of the Government to deprive people of some avenues of worship," the prime minister said.

He said that worshipping in the church would not be advisable at the time, "given the extensiveness of the spread and how the disease is".

"We have to make the measures that we have taken today in order to bring these numbers down rapidly," Holness said.