Topic: coronavirus
9-year-old child tests positive for COVID-19
A 9-year-old child has tested positive for the coronavirus in the Cayman Islands, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee said Tuesday.
Health City to begin testing for COVID-19 ‘immunity’
A highly accurate COVID-19 antibody test could soon be used to determine the prevalence of the virus in the Cayman Islands.
9 new cases of COVID-19 reported
Nine more people have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee. He also reported 796 negative results on Monday,...
Divers push for reopening of scuba industry
Dive operators and recreational divers have reacted with frustration over Premier Alden McLaughlin’s rationale behind why scuba diving is still banned while many other activities are allowed as COVID-19 restrictions continue to be lifted.
Tourism leaders plan for phased recovery of stricken industry
Tourism leaders are working on a new three-year plan for the revival of the industry in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
Maples donates US$135,000 to charities
The Maples Group announced that, since the outbreak of COVID-19, it has donated over US$135,000 to local organisations that are supporting the community through the pandemic.
Bermuda copying Cayman’s pension cash-out
Bermuda is following a move by the Cayman Islands that allows residents to withdraw a portion of their pension savings to help them cope with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Special Report: Hunger, humility and hope amid humanitarian crisis
Thousands of people are struggling to survive without income as the impact of the COVID-19 crisis takes its toll. The Cayman Compass went on the road with charity Acts of Random Kindness, one of the most prominent of several non-profits providing emergency food deliveries to those in need.
BOB FM launches Chow Down for Charity initiative
In light of the coronavirus pandemic creating a greater need for food support in the community, radio station BOB FM has partnered with 11 local restaurants for the new Chow Down for Charity programme.
Government cautious over using public funds to support charities
Premier Alden McLaughlin said government would have to think very carefully about using public funds to support charities helping with food relief.
Work-from-home shift taxes internet infrastructure
As work patterns shift from office to home, Cayman’s telecommunications infrastructure is feeling the strain.
Wireless internet and cellphone networks are suddenly dealing with traffic they were not built to handle, says Alee Fa’amoe, executive director for information and communications technology at OfReg.
Application deadlines near for help for expat workers
The Ministry of Community Affairs issued a statement Thursday saying that the deadline for unemployed work-permit holders to submit applications for food vouchers is Sunday, 31 May.
1 new positive case as next plans for reopening announced
Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee Friday reported one new case of COVID-19 in the Cayman Islands, which is believed to have been a community acquired case and was found through the country's screening programme.
COVID safety messages appear on bus stops
New messages about staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic have begun appearing on bus shelters throughout Grand Cayman.
Cyber criminals exploit COVID-19 crisis
Criminals are using the coronavirus crisis as bait to hook people into a variety of cyber-scams.
No new positive cases in latest COVID test samples
No new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Cayman Islands on Thursday.
Giving comfort to COVID-19 warriors
Local boutique Vy's Closet is looking to help local nurses rest easier through a new initiative that honours their call to duty.
Breaking down sentencing for Cayman’s curfew violations
A look at how the courts deal with breaches of curfew.
Tourism accommodation tax waived until 30 Sept
Cabinet has approved that the Ministry and the Department of Tourism waive the 13% tourist accommodation tax from 1 April to 30 Sept. Surcharges for late payment of tourism taxes for the months of February and March 2020 will also be waived.
Protect the mental health of our children
I am writing this letter to raise my significant concerns on the impact of COVID-19 on the long-term mental health and overall well-being of children.
Finance minister spells out ‘stark reality’ of COVID economic impact
The Cayman Islands is facing a double digit drop in gross domestic product and a local unemployment rate of almost 20% as a result of the coronavirus crisis, Finance Minister Roy McTaggart said Wednesday.
Reopening of economy on course as most COVID cases asymptomatic
The rest of the construction and retail sector could open next week under certain conditions, Premier Alden McLaughlin said Wednesday.
3 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported
Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee has reported that three more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Cayman.
Customs and Border Control officer tests positive for COVID
A Customs and Border Control officer has tested positive for COVID-19, the department confirmed Tuesday.
Curfew cases continue: ‘Ignorance no defence’
The second week of curfew-violation cases began Monday at Summary Court’s spillover location, Constitution Hall, in downtown George Town.
5 new positive results reported
Cayman's Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee reported five new positive cases of COVID-19 during Monday's government press conference. That brings Cayman's total to 134 positive cases overall, 72 of which are active.
Two A. L. Thompson’s employees test positive for COVID-19
Two staffers at A. L. Thompson’s have tested positive for COVID-19, the local hardware store said in a statement on Sunday.
Turning Cayman’s tourism around in a COVID world
Department of Tourism Director Rosa Harris says she is confident in the Cayman's tourism industry’s resilience and ability to bounce back.
Big Brother is watching out for you
Several smart phone apps are under consideration to aid contact-tracing of COVID-19 patients in Cayman. The technology has the capacity to assist the process but ethical and data protection concerns have impacted uptake in other jurisdictions.
Health City sets up COVID testing for eastern districts
Health City Cayman Islands has established a satellite COVID-19 testing centre. Though the hospital does not have a testing lab on site, it is collecting samples from essential workers in the eastern districts
First-quarter government finances better than budgeted
The Cayman Islands government has started the tumultuous economic period in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic with better than expected first quarter fiscal results.
Employers to foot bill for work-permit holders’ isolation
All work-permit holders returning to Cayman will be required to isolate for 14 day at government’s isolation facilities, but it will be on their employers’ dime, according to new conditions released on Friday.
Premier steadfast in holding off on border reopening
While some Caribbean countries like Aruba, Antigua and St Lucia are looking to reopen their borders to tourists in the coming weeks, even as early as next month, Cayman will not be going that route.
On patrol with Cayman’s coastguard as marine restrictions eased
The Cayman Compass joined the Cayman Islands Coastguard on patrol on Tuesday for day one of the new marine rules.
8 new COVID cases announced
Cayman has eight new cases of COVID-19, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee announced Friday. This brings the total number of local cases to...
Two police officers test positive for COVID-19
Two police have officers have tested positive for COVID-19. Both officers are asymptomatic and are in isolation.
4 Kirk Home Centre workers positive for COVID-19
Four workers at Kirk Home Centre have tested positive for COVID-19. All are asymptomatic.
10 new positive COVID-19 results reported
Ten more people in Cayman have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 121, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee.
Prison boss refutes rumours of rioting
Director of Prisons Steven Barrett has quashed social media rumours of rioting at Northward Prison in the wake of two inmates testing positive for COVID-19 this week.
Al La Kebab worker tests positive for COVID-19
One employee at local eatery Al La Kebab has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from the restaurant on Thursday.
No new coronavirus cases detected, total remains at 111
There were no new COVID-19 cases to report among the 494 tests results released by Chief Medical Officer John Lee on Wednesday, leaving Cayman’s total number of confirmed cases at 111.
Frontline worker profiles: Supermarket staff ‘blessed to serve’
Working her way up the ladder in Foster’s supermarket, Shanay Bryan tried just about every job in the store. Until now she never thought of herself as 'essential' to the community.
Premier: 1 Sept. border reopening unlikely
Cayman's borders could remain closed beyond 1 Sept., Premier Alden McLaughlin said on Tuesday.
17 new COVID-19 cases reported as restrictions rolled back
Cayman's COVID-19 tally increases to 111 as 17 new positive results were reported Tuesday by Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee reported at government's coronavirus press conference.
Local animal charities worried about spike in abandoned pets
Local animal charities say they are concerned that there could be an increase in pets being abandoned as more work-permit holders depart the Cayman Islands.
Two Northward inmates test positive for COVID-19
HMP Northward prison has been closed to the public after two male inmates test positive for COVID-19, according to a statement issued by Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service Tuesday morning.
Two Foster’s staffers test positive for COVID-19
Two employees at Foster’s Republix store in West Bay have tested positive for COVID-19, the supermarket chain announced Monday night.
The invisible army in the war against COVID-19
The battle against coronavirus has often been compared to a war against an invisible enemy. In Cayman, as in many other countries, the 'soldiers' on the frontline are often lower paid workers in traditionally less-prestigious professions. These 'invisible workers' are helping to keep the country running.
Frontline worker profiles: Lab manager at the centre of the crisis response
As the manager of a COVID-19 testing laboratory, Gayon Allen-Goulbourne has one of the most critical jobs in the country.
The samples she processes at...
Frontline worker profiles: Volunteer police commander has triple role
As vice president of business development for Dart Enterprises, commandant of the special constabulary and a father-of-two, Chris Duggan has three essential roles that have expanded exponentially during the coronavirus crisis.
Frontline worker profiles: Nurse volunteered for COVID ward
Over the last two months, Alia Huizinga-Wright and her colleagues on Cayman Islands Hospital's COVID-19 ward have helped nurse patients with the most serious symptoms of the coronavirus back to health.
Frontline worker profiles: Pumping gas helps keep country running
Every morning Michael Hyman puts on his gloves, mask and face shield and gets to work. As a supervisor at the H&B Esso service station on Shedden Road, he does whatever the job requires. He makes sure the shelves are fully stocked, cars are filled up with fuel, and the customers are happy – all from a distance of six feet.
Sunday soft curfew: What you can and can’t do today
A quick reference guide to what is and is not allowed under the new Sunday shelter-in-place regulations.
Analysts: Major turbulence in store for aviation industry
The coronavirus crisis is likely to have lasting implications for the aviation industry, including Cayman’s national airline, according to two industry experts.
Cayman to the rescue at animal shelters
Cayman steps up to help Humane Society and One Dog at a Time as they were faced with challenges in caring for and exercising the animals under their charge.
Work-permit holders can return but must pay isolation costs
The government announced Friday that work-permit holders will be allowed to return to the Cayman Islands on incoming flights, but will need to spend two weeks at an isolation facility at their own cost.
Phased reopening of construction industry begins next week
Government is pushing ahead with its plans to reopen Cayman’s construction industry through a phased approach beginning next week, Premier Alden McLaughlin has announced.
Sunday all-day hard curfew lifted, beaches to reopen Tuesday
Police Commissioner Derek Byrne announced Friday that the Sunday all-day hard curfew will be lifted as of this weekend, as health officials confirmed one new case of COVID-19.
Seymour: No urgency for Cuban medical assistance
Cayman is not seeking the services of Cuban medical professionals at this time since Cayman’s COVID-19 cases remain low and no one is hospitalised due to the virus, Health Minister Dwayne Seymour said at Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing.
‘Humanitarian crisis’ grows as thousands depend on charity
Grand Cayman is facing a growing 'humanitarian crisis', with potentially thousands of people now dependent on emergency food kitchens that have sprung up at empty restaurants across the island.
Editorial: Rebuilding our tourism industry
The new realities around travel call for a general shift away from pure volume-based mass tourism, which in Cayman is synonymous with cruise ships, to quality-oriented, high-end tourism.
Stranded family gets home on land
A generous donor has given her condo, free of charge, to an expectant mother and her family after they became stranded in Cayman during the COVID health crisis.
7 new COVID cases announced, 6 involving travellers
The Cayman Islands has seven new cases of the coronavirus – six of them involving travellers who arrived on emergency flights.
Foster’s denies rumour of store closure due to COVID
Foster's supermarket issued a statement Thursday to counter rumours that it had closed its Countryside store due to staff members testing positive for COVID-19.
Governor: Regiment recruitment back on track
Recruitment for Cayman's defence regiment is set to resume, Governor Martyn Roper announced Wednesday.
Premier: COVID-19 curfews don’t breach Bill of Rights
Premier Alden McLaughlin has defended government’s coronavirus curfews, saying he is confident they do not breach human rights.
Government considers easing beach ban and Sunday lockdown
Beaches could be re-opened for exercise next week and the full Sunday lockdown could be lifted as early as this weekend, Premier Alden McLaughlin said Wednesday.
Share your message of gratitude for frontline workers
To share your message of gratitude, send a WhatsApp message to 925-8339 or an email to [email protected].
One new COVID-19 case reported
Cayman's COVID-19 cases have increased by one, according to statistics released by Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee Tuesday afternoon.
Premier: Testing Cabinet for COVID-19 not priority
Premier Alden McLaughlin has said that testing himself and his Cabinet for COVID-19 is "not a priority” right now.
Gradual reopening of economy on course, despite 3 new COVID cases
Government remains hopeful that the phased reopening of the economy can continue despite a handful of frontline workers testing positive for the coronavirus in the latest screening.
Governor Roper tests negative for COVID-19
Governor Martyn Roper has tested negative for COVID-19, he said on Monday.
