Masks order came two months after expert advice

Friday 18 December 2020

Face masks were only made compulsory in Jersey two months later than the Government’s scientific advisers had recommended.

The revelation that the Scientific and Technical Advisory Cell (STAC) wanted mask-wearing from October emerged in meeting minutes from early September, which were only published for the first time yesterday.

An Independent Advisor on Epidemiology and Public Health told the panel that the scientific evidence for mask-wearing at the time was “somewhat questionable," but noted that this “did not mean that they would not be effective."

It was therefore proposed that Jersey adopt the same stance as the UK requiring compulsory mask-wearing in shops and for those working in hospitality “with effect from October 2020.” 

Pictured: STAC wanted mask-wearing in shops from October.

“One of the primary benefits of requiring them to be worn was as a reminder to the public that the COVID-19 virus continued to pose a risk. The Independent Advisor - Epidemiology and Public Health mooted that the requirement to wear face coverings should be included in legislation, which would take some time to draft.

"The Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, concurred. He reminded the Cell that wearing of face coverings had been strongly recommended during the first wave of COVID-19, but as the number of positive cases of the virus had diminished, less emphasis had been placed thereon. It was important not to mandate the wearing too early, but to find an appropriate point at which to emphasise that they should be worn,” the minutes read.

STAC also noted at the time that Police in Jersey didn’t have the power to fine people for failure to comply with the requirement, “unlike other jurisdictions." 

Despite STAC’s desired October start date, weeks later, the Health Minister told States Members that legislation would only be proposed “at the beginning of October.”

However, it wasn’t until November that States Members debated the emergency law, which paved the way for £1,000 fines for those failing to comply.

In the final week of the month, the Health Minister signed an order to bring the law into effect.

Pictured: Health Minister Richard Renouf signing the order making mask-wearing compulsory.

It was only on 1 December that it became illegal not to wear a mask in an indoor public space – around two months after STAC’s recommended start date.