Ministers gather for crunch meeting on covid reopening

Wednesday 09 June 2021

Ministers last night gathered for a key meeting to discuss the remaining steps in their covid reopening strategy, and Express understands another has been underway this morning.

The covid roadmap currently outlines Monday (June 14) as the date for lifting restrictions on large indoor and outdoor gatherings, nightclubs reopening and standing alcoholic drink services resuming.

Four new cases were identified yesterday, bringing the total up to 14 - two of those had been identified as being through inbound travel, and the other two were detected through contact tracing - after 10 were picked up over the weekend.

Between Monday and Tuesday, the number of direct contacts in isolation rose from 131 to 221. Among them are members of the RNLI team that had been in contact with four lifeguards who tested positive.

Pictured: As of today, there are currently 14 known cases of covid within Jersey, and 221 direct contacts.  

Answering questions in the States Assembly yesterday, before the latest figures were released, the Chief Minister hesitated in confirming next week's plans.

Following a question from Deputy Louise Doublet on what measures for schools would be, if any, following the 14 June date, Senator Le Fondré said that these plans would be determined at last night's meeting.

"I can’t give that detail at this stage,” the Chief Minister said. “We are holding another Ministerial meeting, Competent Authorities meeting this evening just to do an update as to exactly where we are.”

Pictured: According to the covid roadmap, on Monday 14 June, nightclubs will be allowed to reopen.

Later, when Deputy Carina Alves asked about the cases identified over the weekend, as well as the Government’s response to the recent identification of the Delta variant (previously known as the 'Indian variant') in the island, Senator Le Fondré said he felt this should be looked at in context. 

“I think we’ve got to be very careful and keep things in proportion,” he emphasised.

“Obviously the numbers that were reported over the weekend was the result of 7,000 tests – so again the number of positive cases that came out of that were very, very, very low.”

“Therefore it goes back to that point all the way through about maintaining a balance of risk, supressing the virus and making sure that services do not get overwhelmed in conjunction with what has been an exceptionally successful vaccination programme.

“That said, we are monitoring the position, as we know that’s why we have put the emergency brake in place.”

However, following on from this point, he then struck an optimistic tone, suggesting that the island was getting to a stage where some sense of normality could be resumed.

“I think we are getting closer to that point of almost moving to living with covid,” the Chief Minister said.

He added this statement was “in the context of low numbers, and in the context in particular of the vaccination programme and where it is, and as we’ve said, the wider impacts of wellbeing, as well as economic wellbeing.

“Within all those contexts, we continue to evaluate. I’ve said we’ve got a Competent Authorities meeting later this evening and if there’s anything that comes out of that, we’ll make sure Members are briefed as soon as we possibly can.”

Some islanders have speculated over whether mask-wearing restrictions might also be eased in the near future, with Economic Development Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham having previously expressed his hopes that this would be the case.

Express reported yesterday morning on a surge in interest in mask exemption certificates and cards, with nearly 8,000 being downloaded from the Government site in March.

The Government is yet to respond to Express on questions regarding mask use. When asked when the next public update on covid measures will be ahead of 14 June, they said that nothing had been confirmed yet.