Although Cayman is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases this week, Premier Wayne Panton has said government will press on with plans to reopen on 20 Nov.
“Let me state unequivocally, we are still committed to reopening on November 20th. Since the last press briefing I am proud to say that we have seen a lot of progress in the implementation of the critical preparedness plans,” Panton said in a video address Friday night on the Government Information Services YouTube channel.
He said there have been many people working diligently to ensure that the reopening plan and anything that “we do to support the November 20th date is done to the highest standards, based on the best advice, and [is] purpose-built” for the community.
“As we reopen, we will continue to implement all necessary safety measures to ensure that our residents and our visitors are able to enjoy the unique way of life here in the Cayman Islands in the healthiest and safest way possible,” he said.
Panton dismissed what he called “misinformation” that has been circulating on social media and local chat groups, talking of a potential lockdown due to the jump in cases, or changes to Phase 4 of the reopening plan.
“This is false information and fake news completely inconsistent with the facts. We are not going to go into a lockdown situation and this is because our readiness and response plans are working; our community is vaccinated and getting boosters; and while there has been an increase in community transmission, the government is able to respond at the appropriate levels without compromising our healthcare or education systems,” the Premier said in the video address.
Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of Health said that an additional 153 people tested positive for COVID-19, along with one traveller, as of 8am Thursday. The data, which was two days behind, was released shortly after 4pm.
The total number of active cases moved up to 646, with 1,002 persons having recovered. Of the active cases, four remain hospitalised.
Panton urges calm, 40 test positive on Sister Isles
Although there has been some level of anxiety in the community with the spike, Premier Panton urged calm as he said residents can be reassured and “accept that if we take all the necessary precautions, this will not create barriers to living a relatively normal daily life”.
While he said the increase in community transmission on all three islands is “concerning”, at the same time it is “manageable when you realize that our critical preparedness and response plans are working”.
There have been community cases that have been traced back to social events, restaurants, bars, clubs and workplaces, Panton pointed out adding, “we have all seen people not acting responsibly, ignoring the health and safety guidelines that are in place to help manage the rate of transmission”.
“Whether this is a blatant disregard of these known safety measures, or circumstantial, it has never been more important for each of us to be vigilant and proactive in doing our part to prevent further spread of the illness,” he said.
He urged the community to speak up when they see friends and family out engaging in unsafe practices like not socially distancing in crowded locations, “choosing not to wear masks in public spaces, or generally disregarding the health and safety protocols we put in place to keep us all safe”.
Panton also commented on the push for testing.
He said 719 people in the Sister Islands had submitted themselves for testing.
“Of those tested, we know we have 40 positive cases so far. I want to urge you all to follow the necessary steps to protect yourselves and loved ones by isolating. There are safety regulations in place to protect us all: Wear a mask, social distance while moving about and continue to practice safety hygiene,” he said.
Panton said the community has to take personal and collective responsibility for their actions and “make the best decisions to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy. Staying connected with our friends and family is critical to our mental well-being”.
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Where is the sense of proportion? Why hasn’t the Premier stressed that more testing = more likelihood of positives being found. What matters most is not the number of cases, but how many hospitalisations and deaths. Two of the latter, one of which was at the very beginning of this wretched pandemic, a passenger on a cruise ship in the harbour, is hardly a cause for panic. Stick to your guns, Mr. Panton.
Mr. Panton, please keep the reopening plan.
Also please allow children under 12 to travel to Cayman without quarantine restrictions.
I am impressed with Mr Panton’s remarks, he is holding fast and sticking with his re-opening plan, no panic despite the rapid spread of Delta, that’s the way to go.
When will the details be shared? Portal for uploading vaccine cards for CBC to review? Requirements for hotels/condos regarding cleaning protocols and length of time between bookings? Availability of testing for citizens returning to their home country? Rapid tests for US citizens to return to the US or pricey PCR tests? All of these things and more must be answered ASAP. November 20 is only 20 days away.
I think that maybe the lack of details could be a signal that the goalposts will be moving again.
Open the borders and learn to live with the virus.
It is a new world you can’t hide from this reality.
Take the vaccine and fight the good fight.
Bingo, obviously this guys is not Old money who wants to decimate the island further
Exactly the right approach. Staying closed was an option when everyone else was closed. Everyone is now open and we need to get back amongst the land of the living. Vax holdouts: Get the Vax or chance the Vent. The rest of us, take 5000 IUD of Vitamin D3 daily and wash your hands.