WATCH: Guernsey steps up testing as covid cases pass 200

Monday 01 February 2021

Guernsey is stepping up its testing of essential workers after the number of covid cases on the locked down island reached 231.

Announced yesterday morning, the latest confirmed virus case figures were a rise of 45 on the previous day. There are now five people in the island’s hospital with the illness.

Guernsey has been in lockdown since Saturday 23 January when a number of covid cases of unknown source were identified. Since then, all islanders have been under a strict ‘stay at home’ order, only able to leave their homes for two hours a day.

We currently have 231 (known) active cases of COVID-19 in the Bailiwick. There have been 46 cases found in the last day and one person has recovered. Five patients with COVID-19 are currently in hospital. Full results at: https://t.co/YpWbg8u3AS pic.twitter.com/JzsqB90rts

— States of Guernsey (@Govgg) January 31, 2021

Schools remain closed to all students - including those of key workers. The island’s Education Committee described reopening as a “priority” but said that the island needed “more time for the development of robust plans for a testing system which will facilitate settings reopening to the children of critical workers.”

From the beginning of lockdown, three super spreader locations have been identified: two pubs (The Ship and Crown and Crow’s Nest) and the Festival of Dance.

Then yesterday it was confirmed that a number of cases had been linked to a Co-op Grand Marché.

The store was closed yesterday to be deep cleaned.

A lot has been going on today. Dr Brink has recorded a short message about the latest case figures and for those affected by today’s announcement about the festival of dance. pic.twitter.com/3a0ecMQ1N9

— States of Guernsey (@Govgg) January 30, 2021

Video: An update from the island's public health head, Dr Nicola Brink.

The island’s East Arm testing facility is being used to support the testing of essential workers in "a range of critical areas", with supermarket workers and ports staff among those being tested at different intervals yesterday.

"Significant numbers of people across the community are also being asked to self-isolate for different reasons," said a spokesman for the States.
"Some because they have been directly in contact with a positive case and contact traced by the Contact Tracing team, and others because they attended one of several specific events such as the Festival of Dance, where Public Health have asked all those who attended to self-isolate.
"To support some of the essential services impacted by the self-isolation measures for those wider groups linked to events, the States of Guernsey are working to put in place support through targeted testing to allow staff to continue working where it is appropriate to do so."

Local businesses have also been told that further financial support will be available if the island remains in lockdown several weeks from now.

Pictured: Cases of covid-19 have been linked to at least 11 educational settings in Guernsey, including the Grammar School.

Business grants and a 100% payroll funding scheme will be triggered on Monday 15 February, with the claims process to start immediately on that day.

In the hope that this lockdown will be shorter than last year's, Guernsey’s Policy and Resources Committee - the panel of politicians responsible for managing the island’s finances - said the value of the grants will be set at a lower level.

Businesses which operate from commercial premises will be able to claim £2,000, while those without commercial premises will be able to claim £1,000, in both cases subject to a business having monthly overheads of £500 or more.

The Committee has also agreed that 100% payroll co-funding will be made available from Monday 1 March, subject to certain qualifying criteria, if restrictions are still in place.