Topic: COVID-19
Beauty salon owners keep fingers crossed for reopening
As Cayman’s domestic economy slowly returns to a level of normalcy, those in the personal services industry, like beauty salons, barbers and aestheticians, say they are hopeful they will be given the green light to get back to work this month.
Plea to allow diving again
Dear Governor’s Office and Cayman Islands government,
I want to start by thanking you for your bold and decisive actions taken early on in the...
Tourism Recovery: Caribbean islands begin to welcome back visitors
Around the region, many countries are still facing COVID-19 challenges, including the damage to the economies of the impacted islands. This week, Antigua and Barbuda reopened its borders to international travel, the first in a string of Caribbean countries looking to restart the region’s most significant industry.
Outdoor bars and restaurants set to reopen
Outdoor restaurants and bars will start reopening as soon as Sunday, providing that they meet the necessary safety requirements.
4 new COVID cases reported as bars/restaurants prepare to open
Four new cases of COVID-19 were reported Friday as Cayman's bars and restaurants prepare to open their doors on Sunday for the first time since March.
Marathon still on as organisers monitor COVID developments
The 2020 Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon remains a go for December as organisers continue to monitor COVID-19 developments.
4 new COVID-19 cases reported
Cayman’s COVID-19 cases have increased by four taking the national tally to 160, according the latest report from Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee.
Butterfield staffer tests positive for COVID-19
One of Butterfield Bank's employees has tested positive for COVID-19, the bank stated in a press release on Tuesday evening.
Using face masks can cause a health issue
While more studies and information are becoming available on the real impact of COVID-19 on our health, no research or explanations have been done...
Economy should be fully opened
I find it very sad that our people are divided over the dangers of COVID, and the response of our government.
This began as a...
Howell: Elections Office gears up for 2021 polls
Although the 2021 general election is almost a year away, elections officials are already figuring out how voting will take place if the COVID-19...
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.
DOE records first wild green turtle nest of 2020
Department of Environment has recorded its first wild green turtle nest of the 2020 nesting season on Monday along Seven Mile Beach.
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.
Can Cayman reopen using masks and social distancing?
My wife and I visited your wonderful island one year ago. We fell in love with Grand Cayman and by the time we left...
No reason to maintain the lockdown
The lockdown was implemented to ‘flatten the curve’ and prevent our hospitals being overwhelmed.
Instead of a curve, we had a blip of one...
Realigning our priorities post-COVID
I wish to write on a few issues that I think are pertinent to where we, as a people and a country, find ourselves...
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.
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.
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.
Get rid of all COVID restrictions
We all have an interest in protecting the physically vulnerable; if we ourselves are not in that category, we have vulnerable loved ones who...
4 Kirk Home Centre workers positive for COVID-19
Four workers at Kirk Home Centre have tested positive for COVID-19. All are asymptomatic.
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.
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.
Cayman, we have a problem
In as many weeks as I can count on my hands, the global $2.9 trillion tourism industry has ground to a halt, which means Cayman’s US$900 million income has too. This affects all of us, even the many folks who don’t work in the industry.
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.
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.
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.
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.
‘Snowbirds’ ask to stay in Cayman during pandemic
On 4 May, there was an article entitled ‘138 overstayers leave Cayman using amnesty protection.’ In it, Customs and Border Control Director Charles Clifford...
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.
Governor: Moving to next suppression level still on track
Governor Martyn Roper said Sunday that Cayman’s transition into Level 3 of government's COVID-19-suppression plan is still on track despite the announcement Friday night of three positive cases of the virus at Kirk Market.
From nasal swab to national statistic in five hours
Thousands of Cayman Islands residents will be tested for the coronavirus. In an effort to demystify the process and set his own mind at ease about a lingering cough, Cayman Compass journalist James Whittaker got swabbed for COVID-19.
UPDATE: Kirk Market reopens
Kirk Market is closing its doors for a day on Saturday after three of its employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from the supermarket late Friday night.
Could government permit limited border opening?
I think most people in Cayman share my opinion that our government has been working very hard to steer a path through these difficult...
Frontline workers urged to take COVID tests
Some frontline workers are resisting taking screening tests for COVID-19, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee said this week.
Carnivals to hit the virtual road
The COVID-19 lockdown has forced organisers of the 37th annual Batabano parade and CayMAS to turn to creative means, like virtual events, to keep the carnival spirit going.
Patience urged on pension withdrawals
Deputy Director of Pensions Amy Wolliston has called for patience as thousands of employees and employers seek to make withdrawals from private pension fund providers.
Jamaicans must apply to return home
Jamaican nationals in Cayman who want to return home while their country’s borders remain closed will have to receive authorisation from their government.
General Registry resumes limited services
Government's General Registry Department, which is in charge of issuing critical documentation for births and death, will resume issuing hard copies of those certificates on Wednesday.
Cabinet to consider extending border closure till September
Cayman’s borders could remain closed at least until September if Cabinet assents to a new paper heading its way.
Plea (and a poem) for access to ocean
I emphatically second the handful of thoughtful letters submitted to date: Caymanians of all ages need the healing powers of our beautiful ocean to...
Premier appeals to civil servants to stop leaking information
Premier Alden McLaughlin called on civil servants to stop leaking information to the public before formal decisions are taken in Cayman’s COVID-19 crisis response.
Learning new appreciation in the COVID-19 world
As a long-time visitor (starting in 1989) knowing the ‘Old Cayman’, I still have many friends there, all these years later, with my heart...
Let swimmers back in the ocean
One of the first things I noticed when I arrived to live on Grand Cayman was the culture of exercise and the number of...
30,000 PPE kits arrive in Cayman from China
A shipment of 30,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits arrived in the Cayman Islands from China on Thursday as part of efforts to ensure the continued safety of the islands' frontline health workers.
Saying goodbye to loved ones during COVID-19
Saying goodbye to a family member or friend who has died is an emotionally taxing experience during normal times. But that stress has been magnified with the new challenges brought on by crowd-control measures that prevent more than a handful of people attending a funeral during the COVID-19 crisis.
Curfew extended until new regulations in place
Cayman's curfew and shelter in place restrictions are set to remain in place in the coming days until the new regulations kick in.
Traffic Law changes take effect
New changes to the Traffic Law to allow motorists to renew their vehicle licence without the need for a new certificate of roadworthiness is now in effect.
Police investigate alleged curfew breach by health minister’s wife
A formal police investigation has been launched into allegations of breaches to the current curfew restrictions that were leveled against Tiffany Seymour, wife of Health Minister Dwayne Seymour.
Money-transfer services to resume
Some money remittance services could be given the green light to reopen their doors as soon as next week Monday.
Lee: No risk from positive COVID-19 HSA health worker
Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee has assured that there is no risk to the patients or staff at the Health Services Authority after a healthcare worker there tested positive for COVID-19.
Minister should take responsibility
Writer calls for government members to speak out if family members breach curfew.
3 new virus cases reported
Cayman has three new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive cases to 73, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee reported at Tuesday’s daily press briefing.
Regional UN body calls for new development model
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has stressed that a new development model is needed due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Education ministry to track student ‘learning loss’
The Ministry of Education is implementing methods of tracking 'learning loss' for students who have spent the last several weeks being schooled at home during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Community steps up to help stranded Nicaraguan passengers
Cayman has rallied to support a group of stranded Nicaraguans who were denied entry into their own country as their government continues to grapple with COVID-19.
Roper: Repatriation flights ‘challenging’
Governor Martyn Roper has said Cayman’s hands remain tied when it comes to assisting many unemployed foreign workers, especially Indian nationals who are seeking a route back to their home country.
Premier: Labour Law changes seek to reduce terminations
New Labour Law changes will now see employers continue to pay health insurance for dismissed employees for another 30 days while deferring severance packages for the same period.
Seniors get supermarket surprise
Seniors shopping on Wednesday and Thursday got a special supermarket surprise when the Caribbean Utilities Company picked up their tab at the counter.
