Weekend lockdowns

Face-to-face classes have been shut down for all students and lockdowns imposed for three weekends from March 26 until April 12 as the Holness administration seeks to rein in a runaway wave of COVID-19 infections.

The country has recorded 533 deaths and more than 35,300 cases – with 18,426 infections classified as active. Nine new deaths were tallied on Saturday.

Addressing a Jamaica House press briefing on Sunday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the lockdowns would begin from midday on Saturdays to Mondays at 5 a.m.

Arguing that compliance with the current measures to restrict the spread of the highly contagious virus was not being achieved by moral suasion, Holness said that the tougher new restrictions would be policed with rigour and breaches prosecuted.

With the public hospitals at breaking point, some exceeding their capacities by up to 150 per cent, the prime minister noted that the Government had no option but to impose tighter restrictions.

“We face what could be described as an existential threat. The potential breakdown of our health system ... is a serious threat, and it is of grave concern and we have to take the measures that we have put in place today (Sunday) in order to bring these numbers down rapidly,” the prime minister said at a press briefing.

Making it clear that there would be more stringent policing of the new restrictions, Holness said that the security forces have been given several days in advance to draft plans to enforce the measures.

Prior to the additional measures under the Disaster Risk Management Act, students preparing for exit exams were allowed to attend face-to-face classes at primary and high schools. However, the Government has instructed that all students and teachers return to online or virtual learning until April 13. The directive also applies to independent schools.

However, nurseries will be allowed to remain open.

Holness said that the existing restrictions on funerals and burials will remain in place until Tuesday.

But beginning on Wednesday, March 24, until April 13, burials will be allowed between Mondays and Fridays during the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The number of mourners is restricted to 10. An additional five persons, including clergy, gravediggers, and undertakers, will be allowed. Additionally, only 30 minutes have been allotted to bury the dead.

The ban on funerals will be maintained.

The number of attendees allowed at weddings has also been slashed from 25 to 15.

Meanwhile, the new restrictions are expected to have a negative impact on commercial operators, who have been hard-hit by the prolonged and shortened curfew hours over the past year.

Businessman Paul ‘Bigga’ Young of Urmonie Mart financial services in Portland, lamented that Jamaica had been forced to impose a new round of lockdowns because of the irresponsible behaviour of commuters.

“When the police, acting on information, close down an illegal party, the crowd simply goes elsewhere,” Young told The Gleaner on Sunday evening.

“My business is poised to suffer over the weekend lockdown, but unless the COVID-19 figures go down, it will only get worse.”

Another businessman, Steadman Scott of West Street in Portland, said that he has been bankrupted by coronavirus containment measures.

“Bwoy, it really wicked yah now, and with di weekend lockdown coming up, I won’t be able to sell anything,” said Scott, who sells chicken meat and pork.

“I was hoping that the curfew hours would have changed, maybe to 10 p.m., but instead it’s getting tighter. People a dead and dem still a hide and a go party a night-time.”

Meanwhile, People’s National Party councillor for the Port Antonio division, Dexter Rowland, described the new weekend lockdown measures as tough but necessary.

Portland itself has seen a meteoric rise in COVID-19 infections in March. He believes that the time-out will ease the pressure being experienced by hospitals and heath centres.

“We really can’t just sit by and allow it to spiral. We have to try something. I don’t know if it will work because some people just have to party on weekends.

“Yes, it will affect business, but I don’t think we have any other choice,” he added.

editorial@gleanerjm.com