Tue | Apr 7, 2026

Nightly curfews extended to December 1

Published:Monday | November 16, 2020 | 5:25 PM
This file photo shows an aerial shot of a deserted Cross Roads, at the intersection of Half-Way Tree, Old Hope, Caledonia, and Slipe, on Wednesday, April 1, shortly after a curfew took effect. Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the curfew, which was due to expire today, will be extended.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OMP) has announced that the nightly curfews and several other COVID containment measures have been extended until December 1.

A number of the existing measures under the Disaster Risk Management Order were scheduled to expire today.

The OPM says in another two weeks, the Cabinet will advise on the measures for December 2020 and in particular the Christmas period.

Here's a breakdown of the extended measures:

Curfew
- Remains at 9 pm – 5 am each day until December 1, 2020.

Public transportation
- Public transportation by motor vehicle being limited to one person fewer than the maximum number of persons the vehicle is licensed carry (until November 30, 2020).

- Public transportation operators will be allowed one hour before and one hour after the curfew to get to or from base to home.

- No passengers are allowed to be transported during these one-hour periods.

- Drivers are to comply with the requirements of keeping windows open and having the air conditioning turned off when operating the  vehicle.

Controlled Entry Programme
- Current protocol remains for both residents and visitors until November 30, 2020. 

- While the requirements for pre-testing and quarantine, etc. remain, various operational improvements continue to be implemented to streamline the processing of arriving passengers at the airports.

*All the other measures which are slated to expire on November 30, continue to remain in effect until then:

- Gathering limit will remain at 15 persons.

- The ban on funerals and parties or events will continue. 

- Burials will continue to be allowed with strict observation and enforcement of the 15-person rule.

- Regular church or religious services operating in compliance with the established protocols may continue. However, congregants are reminded that gatherings in excess of 15 persons are not allowed outside the place of worship. 

- The restrictions applicable to hospitals, nursing homes and infirmaries remain.

- The age limit for the ‘stay at home’ measure remains at 65. Persons 65 years and older must therefore continue to stay at home but are permitted to leave home once each day for the necessities of life.

Mask wearing
- The requirement to wear a mask fitted to cover the nose and mouth when in a public place (including a workplace and a licensed public passenger vehicle) remains in effect under the Order without an expiry date.

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