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Guernsey’s emergency authority is deciding whether to make face masks compulsory after its covid case numbers rose to 107 - just 10 fewer than Jersey.
Around one quarter of the cases are students, and 15 are teaching staff, with cases linked to 11 educational settings.
Schools on the island are currently closed to all students - even those of essential workers - after Guernsey went into lockdown on Saturday, and Chief Minister Deputy Peter Ferbrache said that it is “much more likely than not” that schools will be closed again next week.
The Civil Contingencies Authority - the island’s emergency decision-making body - was set to review whether to make the use of face coverings in public places mandatory during its meeting this afternoon.
Pictured: The number of positive and negative cases since the start of the week, updated as of 23.59 on Wednesday.
Paul Whitfield, the island’s CEO, maintained that a “short, hard lockdown” still remained the intention.
The key message remains that people should stay at home, with extra guidance to clarify what people should do if they have been in contact with a positive case or someone who might have been exposed to it.
Many of the island’s cases stem from an unknown community source, while others have been linked to the Ship and Crown and Crow’s Nest.
Anyone that visited those premises between 18 and 22 January has been urged to quarantine for 14 days, even if they don’t have symptoms.
Those with symptoms are being told to book a covid test.
Pictured: Anyone that visited the Ship and Crown or Crow's Nest must isolate for 14 days, regardless of symptoms.
Covid cases in Jersey, meanwhile, fell to 117 today, with 29 recoveries and six new cases identified.
The latest figures also reflected one more death, bringing the total to
Five people - two more than yesterday - are currently in hospital fighting the illness.
As it released the new figures, the Government said that it was continuing to track “cases of concern in the supply chain for the retail sector” following a cluster discovered earlier this week that cancelled Wednesday’s planned reopening of non-essential shops.
The tracking and testing will continue tomorrow and into the weekend and we thank those businesses concerned for their ongoing support and cooperation.
— Government of Jersey (@GovJersey) January 28, 2021
Sadly there has been 1 death, our sincere condolences go to family and friends.
They said that three new cases were identified via workforce screening in the past 24 hours, bringing the total linked to the cluster to seven. At the beginning of this week, there were around 200 direct contacts, and the Government said testing of these would continue "tomorrow and into the weekend."
The Health Minister claimed earlier this week that the cluster was the result of “poor behaviour”, including staff not wearing PPE and working while symptomatic.
As Express revealed on Wednesday, such allegations are now being investigated by the Health and Safety Inspectorate.
Pictured: The supply chain covid cluster is being investigated by the Health and Safety Inspectorate.
Director Tammy Fage declined to comment further while the probe remains live.
The Government wouldn't comment specifically on the case, but told Express that “appropriate enforcement action will be pursued against any business found to be flouting the guidance.”
The Health Minister is expected to provide an update on the cluster and its impact on the island's strategy for exiting from 'lockdown lite' tomorrow.
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