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The Health Minister is urging islanders to not be complacent about covid-19 as lockdown lifts, warning tougher restrictions will return if the number of cases starts increasing too quickly.
As the government announced it was easing off some of the lockdown measures, Deputy Richard Renouf reminded islanders that their cooperation remains critical in the battle against the sometimes fatal virus.
“I want to stress that observance of the measures and the cooperation of Islanders is critical,” Deputy Renouf said.
“If we become complacent, there is a greater risk of going back to tougher restrictions – as has been seen in other jurisdictions.”
Video: The Health Minister, the Chief Minister and the Economic Development Minister gave a media briefing on the lockdown exit plan.
The Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré, also issued the same warning: “We must all be patient and responsible,” he said. “If we fail to do this, we risk a surge in covid-19 infections, we risk exposing vulnerable Islanders to harm and potentially that would mean needing to return to lockdown.”
He highlighted islanders’ cooperation, responsibility and community spirit which helped suppressed the spread of covid-19 to date, giving “vital time” to health and care services to prepare for the increase in infections that he said will still inevitably come.
In the five weeks since lockdown was introduced, the Nightingale Hospital has been built at Milbrook playing fields, supplies of PPE and health equipment have been delivered and the testing capacity is on its way to reaching a target of 500 a day.
Pictured: Pressure on the hospital and the spread of covid-19 in the community would be considered before reintroducing lockdown.
The Health Minister explained there is no specific threshold at which lockdown could return, describing such a decision as “nuanced".
“It will depend on all sorts of factors,” he said. “If there are significant numbers of people in intensive care, then that means there is a significant amount of the workforce that are dealing with these patients. That is very labour intensive so that might mean pressures in the hospital, whereas if many patients were hospitalised but not necessarily in intensive care, you might have the same numbers in hospital but there would be fewer pressures. Therefore, we can’t give a specific number.
“It also depends on cases in the community, how GPs and other resources are being used in the community. Are they stretched or are they available?
“It also depends on the numbers of staff available because if the infection does spread, some of our staff might become ill, at what sort of levels?
“So, it’s something that is carefully considered, day by day, as to how we can best respond.”
Pictured: Jersey's 'Safe Exit Framework' has four levels.
The Health Minister nonetheless said it was necessary to release lockdown – even though a vaccine might not be available for some time - so as to avoid an “extremely detrimental effect on islanders’ mental and physical health and wellbeing” and a severe impact on the local economy.
Deputy Renouf said that progress through the ‘Safe Exit Framework’ will be done carefully and in stages, following expert medical advice, ensuring at all times that no islander comes to “unnecessary harm” and that the island’s healthcare capacity is not being stretched.
“Undoubtedly we will see an increase because that is a consequence of greater movement of people,” the Health Minister said. “That will mean more people in hospital and, sadly, an increase in the number of deaths.”
Pictured: Islanders with serious underlying conditions should continue to avoid as much social contact as they can and not leave home at all.
While some lockdown measures have been released, islanders with serious underlying conditions should continue to avoid as much social contact as they can, and not leave home at all.
The Health Minister also assured that, while the Government is scaling down ‘Stay at Home’ instructions, the ‘contain measures’ are being stepped up.
This includes increasing testing and monitoring of the virus, with the contact tracing team expanding from 24 to 55 people.
Meanwhile, islanders considered as “extremely vulnerable” will be receiving more support with their wellbeing.
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