Jamaica extends no-movement days

(Caribbean News Now): In a hope to curb the latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the no-movement days will extend for another two weeks.

Holness advised that the days would include:

• Sunday, September 5
• Monday, September 6
• Tuesday, September 7
• Sunday, September 12
• Monday, September 13
• Tuesday, September 14.

Nightly curfew hours will remain at 7:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m the following morning from Wednesdays to Fridays.

The curfew will, however, commence at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 4, and Saturday, September 11, continue through the no-movement days and end at 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 8, and Wednesday, September 15, respectively.

To allow persons to prepare for the additional no-movement days, businesses and workplaces will be required to close at midday on Friday, September 3, and Friday, September 10.

But despite the extended restriction on movement, the vaccination programme will continue uninterrupted.

“Certain vaccination sites will remain open during curfew hours and on no-movement days. Persons who wish to receive the vaccine will be allowed to do so during curfew hours as was done over the last two weeks,”

Holness reported that as of September 1, 408,000 Jamaicans had had at least one dose of vaccine Jamaica has a population of  2.9 million.

The Prime Minister noted that persons will be allowed to seek urgent medical care and those who have overseas travel plans can make their way to or from the airport during the no-movement days.

In addition, essential-service entities and personnel will still be allowed to operate. Meanwhile, the existing work from home directive in the public sector is also extended until September 17, 2021.

They include fisherfolk, farmers, factories, business process outsourcing (BPO) establishments, and those involved in the maintenance of infrastructure, financial services, and the media.

The Prime Minister said all heads of agencies and permanent secretaries are asked to ensure that only people who operate critical service delivery and some other specific work nature professionals to be allowed to work from the physical location.

“For the private sector, I am making a strong appeal to companies to ensure only persons who cannot work from home come to the workplace,” stated Prime Minister Holness.