PM announces new COVID-19 restrictions

CASTRIES:

Prime Minister Philip Pierre on Wednesday night rolled out new COVID-19 measures, including a curfew, amid a significant spike in cases and an announcement that his administration would decriminalise protocol breaches.

In an address to the nation that came on the heels of the announcement by health officials that active cases had almost reached 400, he said: “Persons who have been previously arrested, charged and convicted for COVID-19 protocol breaches will have their records expunged.”

“For now, we need to persuade and encourage citizens to comply with the protocol guidelines, not threaten and punish them to do so. I understand that for many of us, we have been called to do what does not come naturally and so there must be compassion and empathy,” Pierre added.

New protocols take effect on Friday and will run until August 31, as the government tries to significantly reduce and control the spread of the virus.

The measures for the two-and-a-half-week period include: a 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew; an 8 p.m. end to all business operations and commercial activity; and a restriction on social gatherings to immediate family and households to a limit of 10 individuals.

No allowance is given for gatherings and special events and neither vaccinated nor unvaccinated people are allowed to host or attend any social activities, including parties and boat rides.