Soft to hard curfew coming for one week
(CNS): Government has confirmed that the country will transition to ‘Stay Home Cayman’ on Saturday as part of the survival plan to protect people from the COVID-19 pandemic as Cayman goes through this high-risk period. Premier Alden McLaughlin said the current lockdown curfew will end at 5:00am Saturday to be replaced by a softer one until 7:00pm Saturday evening, and alternate between soft curfews by day and hard curfews by night until next Friday.
The premier announced at Friday’s daily COVID-19 press briefing that the Cabinet has now set the regulations for the daytime periods when people will be allowed out to go to supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, liquor stores and to exercise or walk their dog. Although slightly less restrictive than the nighttime lockdown curfews, McLaughlin said people were still urged to stay at home unless they absolutely have to go out.
The regulations governing the daytime ‘stay at home’ order, which allows essential workers to be out and access to essential services for the wider community, have been published. They set out who can leave their homes and the reasons why people can be out, as well as the restrictions that everyone must continue to observe regardless.
The regulations were outlined by Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, who said that tomorrow the supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and mini-marts can open until 6pm, while banks will be open in the morning. But in general, people will still be required to stay at home.
The supermarkets will not open on Sunday, as had previously been suggested. Churches must also remain closed, and people are encouraged to worship at home.
The premier said that because the police do not have the resources to patrol the seas, people cannot use watercraft during the soft curfew, including to go fishing, though they can swim or walk the beach for exercise. He was apologetic about this, well aware of the local connection to the sea, but he said that the risk of people going out on boat parties was just too great.
However, whatever people do within the parameters of the daytime less restrictive curfew, no more than two people can gather together in a public place and small stores must limit customers to six at a time. Everyone must observe the six-foot social distancing rule, as well as constant hand washing and sanitizing. Those exercising or walking dogs can do so only in pairs or with members of their family household.
The premier remained hopeful on Friday that Cayman could get through this next week, doing everything that we can to stem the spread and “have this wave pass over us with few casualties”.
McLaughlin said it made him proud to be a Caymanian after seeing yesterday (Thursday 26 March) just how much people are actually complying with the curfew and understanding the government’s goal, which essentially is to save lives.
With the news that the latest batch of local tests were again all negative, McLaughlin said it was possible that Cayman had acted early enough and was containing the spread of the coronavirus here.
He said that he was aware that Saturday may pose some challenges but stressed that there was “no need for everyone to rush to the supermarkets” if they did not absolutely have to. The premier urged people not to panic buy, saying again that all of the islands’ grocers have said their shelves are fully stocked and there is more than an adequate supply of food here for everyone for the foreseeable future.
“There is no need for panic or despair,” McLaughlin added, as he reassured the community that “together we can do this” by acting sensibly and avoid having another round-the-clock hard curfew being imposed.
The premier remained optimistic that Cayman could survive this pandemic relatively unscathed and begin considering even less restrictions if the local spread can be contained. But he warned that if things changed and we begin to see the virus spreading or people abusing the soft curfew to the point where the police cannot manage it over the next seven days, then he would reimpose the 24-hour lockdown, or hard curfew.
See the soft curfew (or ‘Stay Home Cayman’) regulations in the CNS Library.
Questions about which businesses and staff may be designated essential should be emailed to curfewtime@gov.ky.
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Category: Health, Local News, Medical Health
I think beach time should be encouraged. Close down any public facilities as necessary and have a police patrol if necessary but we need to be able to get out of our houses if this lockdown has any chance of sustainability. The sun is an amazing disinfectant. There’s plenty of room to spread out. The sea is good for the soul also.
Yes and the non Caymanian riff raff cussing the elderly because they went first shame shame and their law enforcement compatriots look on as if nothing is happening! Well we see now our fool fool population expansion policy pay back. These folks need to go HOME! Cayman Plain and simple
Good luck with out our $$$$$$$$……. loser!
You mean with the $$$$$$ you made here?
You right….. you loser that made it in Cayman!
Someone who speaks as you do, couldn’t have much money to begin with.
The crap that I have seen from a large segment of Caymanians and Jamaicans over the past three weeks has been shockingly disgraceful. It’s not just the “every man for himself” behavior, which happens to a large segment of the population everywhere during a crisis, that shocks me. Nor is it that so many people expect the government to provide them money; that also happens everywhere. It’s the blatant disregard for the law and the absolute refusal to practice even the slightest hint of social distancing to prevent the possible local spread of this deadly virus. These aren’t idiotic American uni students out to party on spring break. These are adults of all ages, many of whom would not survive the virus. That there is such a level of stupidity on this island is scary. I know there are plenty of fools, and I know there are plenty of smart, responsible Caymanians also, but good lord, this was shocking to see. No wonder Alden is so frustrated – he’s having to deal with idiots all the time.
The truth is they have no respect for their own laws, made by their own people at any time.
They still have the pirate blood in them.
If people are wondering why God allowed this virus to materialize, I give you exhibit – 1:31.
Last expat to leave, please put out the lights. Good luck Cayman. It was nice knowing you (most of the time).
@ Anonymous 28/03/2020 at 2:52 pm – seriously?! THIS is why Caymanians are p’d off with expats. Now that the money is drying up you can’t get out of here fast enough, can you? Like rats off a sinking ship. SMH.
I would imagine that anonymous at 2:52 was replying to Jimmy Snooker and their original dumb comment. I think the vast majority of sensible and educated Caymanians are fully aware of the benefits that the ex-pat community bring to Cayman.
Have you seen the lines for super markets?! Look at wb fosters, they are standing on top of each other. Why lock us down if these idiots are free to roam any other day? I called fosters to ask if they deliver. It was a hard no. Woody, WTF? You guys need to do something to get food to everyone without us standing in line with crowding folks. This is a disaster and gov should implement delivery/pickups only. Or visit shops by appointment only. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER.
Alden and CNS. Why was the farmers market closed? Do the police not know to simply give directions for the people to space themselves? But no they shut it down and the poor people can’t make money but the big supermarkets can. Completely unacceptable. If the police don’t know how to deal with situations, they need get serious help. Those farmers have lost more than a weeks pay. Will the police reimburse for their knee jerk decision? No one cares about the simple man trying to make ends meet. #farmersmattertoo
Panic buying caused by Alden’s egotistical need to keep everyone locked up in their homes for three days. What else did he really expect?
Panic buying was going on long nefore the hard lockdown,really ridiculous for lack of better word
What do we expect?
We always expect people like you to pontificate
And most people to panic if they have never been in a pandemic before.
It’s really that obvious….
And now he says he is disappointed by the rush and is considering more serious measures – so back to hard lock down. Which rather reinforces the message that you should panic buy every time the store opens because the premier will take one look at qs and shut them again! Does he not appreciate that if you keep them open people will realize after a day that they don’t need to panic. Keep shutting them and you have a different problem – how do you get food to the entire population if you do t let them go and get it themselves.
An opinion. Coronavirus is an environmental wake-up call. https://theweek.com/articles/899439/coronavirus-environmental-wakeup-call
“The current epidemic shows us that we are completely unprepared to deal with future outbreaks of diseases that will occur as a result of climate change. Not only will climate change increase the number of diseases passed from animals to humans due to changing boundaries of habitats and decreased biodiversity, but the melting ice and permafrost are releasing long dormant bacteria and viruses, like anthrax.”
But apart from that, how’s it going?
🎵Love will get you like a case of anthrax and that’s something I don’t wanna catch🎶 Gang of Four
🎹People nice😱, but dis 🦠COVID🦠 ting mek mi wan draw fa mi faceclaat😷, draw fa mi faceclaat😷!
Frisco Kid / me
If the government’s plan is for Cayman to be the first country in the world to eradicate the virus and then for us to stay isolated from the rest of the world forever… it needs a new plan.
9:37 What is your plan genius
His plan is probably to let the virus rip through the world (including Cayman) killing millions, but at least the economy will be saved.
Don’t insult them. It is a fact that this virus is here to stay! So…… the comment is fair enough you can not lock down the island and close it off to the world for ever not even 6 months.
There needs to be a plan to re-open. Pre screening of people at check in before they board the flight to the Islands. Maybe Cayman Airways should get the 15min tests and a doctor on staff and test people before they fly to the Islands??
The point is there needs to be a plan you can not lock up anyplace for without a plan to reopen!
11:01, – is there any real deliberation of thought before posting, – whats the motivation ? Unless the motivation is true in nature then perhaps question the value.
‘Everyone is a genius but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.’
Albert Einstein
Any plan based on a realistic scenario will be better than one based on wishful thinking.
#1 few understand that
#2 you simply can’t stay isolated
#3 as soon as the situation IN THE WORLD improves, even slightly, and air transportation resumes, many would leave Cayman for good. New plan or no plan, they won’t take any chances. Earthquakes, the Dump, hurricanes and now the virus – CIG has no abilities and capabilities to do anything other than issue orders.
Don’t forget the recent Dump’s fires that affected so many people but whose concerns were dismissed and ignored by the CIG. It’s not going to get any better. Just like 9:37 had said: “it needs a new plan”. But under the circumstances it would be nearly impossible to come up with such a plan on a local scale.
A sobering article I recommend to read: How the Pandemic Will End
The U.S. may end up with the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the industrialized world. This is how it’s going to play out. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/how-will-coronavirus-end/608719/
“On the Global Health Security Index, a report card that grades every country on its pandemic preparedness, the United States has a score of 83.5—the world’s highest. Rich, strong, developed, America is supposed to be the readiest of nations. That illusion has been shattered. Despite months of advance warning as the virus spread in other countries, when America was finally tested by COVID-19, it failed.”
10:21 above and yourself are absolutely right. Cayman may have hopefully succeeded but with only a very small victory however in real terms ultimately the population has to develop an immunity to move forward in itself but more importantly evolutionary to claim the battle. If not, relatively speaking we haven’t achieved anything, there’s no other way around it. Running for the trap door every time there’s a scare might work initially but someday the door will be left ajar and we’ll become a mass tomb in the basement. Its a tough vantage to look from, but at some stage we’ll have to accept it.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/uk-backed-off-on-herd-immunity-to-beat-coronavirus-we-need-it/
You are assuming COVID-19 is here to stay. That has not yet been established. Nor has it been established that having this virus will immunise you for life from getting it again (although that could be the case). Time will tell. Regardless, all other pandemics in human history have come and gone. What makes you think this one won’t? I realise you think it best to let the virus do it’s thing and whoever it kills, it kills and all that Darwinism stuff. And that in doing that you will save the economy. What you fail to grasp is that the economy is trashed either way; one way in fairly certain terms and one way in which there is no way of knowing. Trading lives in order to try to limit the negative economic effects to a terrible, but understandable. way instead of a terrible and unknowable way is simply not an option in a democracy. People don’t get to play Napoleon with people’s lives. I know you’ll suggest that the economic fallout from trying the approach to save lives will result in millions of people starving, but you don’t know that. How that scenario plays out is yet to be determined and will largely depend on the response of governments around the world.
The economy is separate discussion. There shouldn’t be an automatic assumption of ‘we need to let evolution play out to save the economy’. Immunity is a fundamental prerequisite for progression and the survival of our species. The theory of herd community is that if enough people develop immunity the virus can’t spread to those that haven’t. The question therefore is how to attain the balance together with possible vaccination.
Nicely put!
Will people ever stop complaining and whining about everything and want everything doing for them. Be grateful, there are so many so much worse off, take a look at the world outside your own bubble – 70 year old woman walking to get and carry a bucket of clean water in mud and rain to clean her grandchildren with no soap and expecting the virus to hit in Yemen and Syria suffering through human wars. Please stop whining!
Liquor stores are hardly essential. Alden, you are joking, right?
Just because you can’t handle your booze doesn’t mean the rest of us should suffer.
Crime is down, pollution is down, but in Cayman drunk driving won’t be down because our leaders seem to think alcohol in unlimited quantities in times of crisis,is a sacrosanct right of all Caymanians along with food to eat, hospitals, medical supplies and gas to get these things. Like everything here influence and money rule over everything. SHAME on our so called decision makers!.
Shame on you for only thinking of yourself. Make your own rules and keep them if you wish. Leave everyone else to their own. Bad driving is much more of a problem in Cayman than drunk driving. Make that go away .
Liquor stores remain open in Canada. Are you going to say the same things about them?
Why no supermarkets on Sunday? I hope this isn’t a stupid religious thing that going to cause longer lines outside of supermarkets on the few hours they are now open during other six days.
Oh it is.
Thank Eden for that. People should die before we can buy a cup o noodles on a Sunday.
We are encouraged to stock up with Coronas since liquor stores are essential to our wellbeing while we worship at home.
Here’s the thing, if you don’t want it, don’t go.
Boi dis Eden is one powerful fella.
Do you also blame him for the time lost blaming him?
Move on man/woman, whatever
Last time I checked Mr. Eden does not own a supermarket. I suspect the staff needs a day to rest and re- energize. Yo
Ever heard of shifts, yo?
Should have bought your noodles yesterday. Pretty soon all of you will want to live in the supermarkets. Hiding like weevils in the flour and cornmeal.
No need. Plenty of food. Please don’t panic buy.
Yes there is plenty of food. Problem is Gov’t making quick decisions on lockdowns means you suddenly find out you cant leave house to get any of it!
Which is what is causing the panic buying. By Alden thinks that shutting the stores to punish panic buying means next time they open people won’t panic but SMH.
Liquor stores open Sunday, we good.
Why does the Gov. not alow them to open up supermarkets for Sundays to ease this!
Im sure with the new emergency powers this could be done.
Or we could sit at home and pray that an Ark sails in with food to give to all!
Y’all need to go down town tomorrow morning and check out the half built cruise piers they put up while they locked yo ass down
what?! where ?
The liquor stores being essential is nothing short of stupid. A hardware store so we can fix broken things in our houses is surely more important than liquor for goodness sake.
Same in UK so what’s yo problem.
And LCBO in Canada
Well the UK is hardly the right model to compare with!
What’s the subject? Doesn’t matter. I agree.
you are right…but our culture is based around social drinking….cut that off and it will make things worse.
You’ve not lived here long, have you?
Might seem like it shouldn’t be essential, but people can and do die of alcohol withdrawal. The last thing the hospital or this community needs is for all the alcoholics to keel over all at once. It is a horrible way to go.
As a medical professional I can tell you for some physically dependent alcoholics it could be the difference between life and death to have access to liquor. A good question to ask is should it be legal at.
Then spend the damn money and open govt funded alcohol and drug dependency centres that can deal with these people away from the main medical facilities.
Booze isn’t essential, treatment for alcoholism is.
As a recovering alcoholic I can tell you it just isn’t that simple. “Govt funded alcohol and drug dependency centres” wouldn’t have helped me.
And just how many alcoholics do we have?
I don’t know, I find it hard to count after I’ve had a few …
Thousands
🤔 🤔
I can go and stock up on my drugs ..thanks Alden for the break ..cause my stock ran out..Saturday please hurry and come
My dealer doin delivery.
he locked down the ocean too
Hi, the international Airport is closed now ? until when ? sorry American Airlines cancelled my fly to Caiman from Miami .. the date of reservation is 18/04/2020… could be ? thanks in advance…
CNS: The airport is close until 12 April – see the article here. However, this could be extended depending on what’s happening with the coronavirus outbreak. We will keep updating what’s happening in the Cayman Islands, but you may want to keep an eye on what’s happening in the US also. See here.
*closed.
US has international travel bans and those won’t be lifted any time soon. Most things are being closed until May with a possibility of that deadline being extended.
Huh? What part of- ya nah going nowhere- don’t you understand?
AA have pulled out of flying here till the 6th of May at least.
Liqour store essential??? What a mess!
He really must have the wirus if Liquor stores is essential. They should be the first to permanently close.
Dont you know that alcohol kills the virus. Drink plenty and bathe in it.
This is the time when we need Uber Eats or their delivery options and tap to pay technology amongst other 1st world options enjoyed by most 1st world countries. When restaurants insist on a minimum order of $50 when an isolated individual only needs a pizza is unconscionable and utterly ridiculous in these circumstances. Open this country up for the many, not the few.
Because the restaurant should send a driver all the way to deliver one pizza but charge you the same as if you picked it up at the restaurant? The cost to the restaurant in delivering is the same whether you order for a family or one person. Saying they shouldn’t recover that cost is the essence of entitlement. Why don’t you ask them to come back to deliver dessert once you have finished the pizza whilst you are about it?
They already scalp the hell out of the customer, even on this island, raw ingredients aren’t that expensive. $20 for an 8″ pizza, are you frigging kidding me?
And they can’t claim they pay their staff well, because we all know that’s a lie. And as for sticking a pizza on a scooter being the straw that broke the camels back, then you really are grasping for reasons to make money in a crisis.
It’s not about entitlement, it’s about customer service, not ever increasing profits. It’s done well in many countries, why not here, after all we’re on an island not a continent?
But you have to ay them for not working, right Al?
If you are not entitled then get off your lazy ass and get down there and pick it up yourself.
How many topping you got on that $20 eight inch pizza..boy you can hear some foolishness..
Open the stores on Sunday and stop chaos tomorrow at the shops. Dumbest decision ever.
yep..reminds me after ivan fosters announced sunday opening only for the stupid politicians to shoot them down…..
The staff and store owners are working really hard to feed you and everyone else. Did you ever stop to think whether store staff and owners might need a day to rest?
Tell that too health care workers you selfish idiot. It’s a worldwide/national emergency, rest when we absolutely know we won’t have to count bodies instead of customers in food queues.
Alden.
I want to say thank you.
I have given you hard times on this site for some time. Main reason for this has been your stance on the port and mt trashmore.
That said, I feel that you need to be commended for how you have handled this extraordinary situation. You have managed to calm the storm, ensure stability of the country that could otherwise be in anarchy right now, and have made choices that the business community would surely have ridiculed you for.
Despite what some may say. You have done the right thing, and should hold your head up high for the example you been to others during this crisis. It is clear to me that you really do love the country and your people.
While we may have our differences on the port and dump issue, I hope that when the dust settles and this is all said and done, you and Cayman will acknowledge that:-
(i) Even leaders make mistakes and can be forgiven.
(ii) A real man/woman owns up to their mistakes and is not afraid to change course after having made a bad decision
(iii) Cayman’s real tourism is not in the cruise industry but in stay over tourism and with those people that have a vested interest to stay on the island / help out where possible when the times are tough
(iv) The dump is the number one issue that needs to be dealt with in Cayman
All the best.
He hasn’t ‘handled’ it at all. With the inability to test this is the only choice. He is being advice he cannot ignore.
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I’m confused. Are we soft curfew or hard curfew or still on lockdown after Saturday? I heard them say for 10 days during the meeting which would put us to the 7th of April, and then they say until Friday.
As of tomorrow soft curfew for the daytime. Back to hard curfew at night. Day, soft; night hard until (perhaps) Friday. Possible that it may be relaxed before or may be extended if necessary. Clearer?
Reread the article if you need the terms of the soft curfew.
It won’t be relaxed before next Friday, but may be hardened again.
You are alone.
The Truth is Out There!
Generally I found the revised regime very sensible, with two exceptions. On what grounds were liquor stores included in the list of businesses essential to the public permitted to remain open?. I listened to the briefing and the Premier did not mention them in his list, neither I believe did the Attorney General.Only after the A.G finished did the Premier say he had been “reminded” that (for some unfathomable reason), liquor stores were included. The other, is the Premier’s blunt refusal to countenance the supermarkets opening on Sunday. There are very sound reasons for this, which would only be temporary for the duration of the crisis,so this was a very blinkered and zealot-like decision.
Most of us like to get high legally, with alcohol!
Pretty sure prominent politicians do too. And then it all goes wrong.
Could I make a suggestion for the supermarkets?
Why don’t we have staggered opening times based on age ranges?
Just blue skying but how about; 7-9 essential workers; 9-10 70+; 10-11 60-69yrs; 11-12 50-59yrs and so on. Would hopefully prevent everyone turning up en masses queuing for hours and creating a huge ‘social gathering’.
Probably flaws in the suggestion, but worth a shot??
To answer your first question, no.
8.55pm You certain;y “floored” me, you will have a huge “paperwork gathering” in place of what we have now.
Bloody good idea, but they seem to be few and far between under this iron fist.
Unfortunately there are many people who have a physical dependence on alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal can lead to hospitalization and we certainly do not need more people going to the hospital at this time.