Tags and 14-day lockdown to replace bio-buttons
(CNS): With no letup in the global spread of COVID-19, the Cayman Islands Government has revised its plans for the soft, phased border reopening next month. Premier Alden McLaughlin has confirmed that the bio-button idea has been dropped. Instead, approved visitors, property owners, workers and residents will still be required to isolate for 14 days, at home or in hotels, with the help of an electronic monitoring tag and random checks.
Speaking at the COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday, the premier said that, as of 1 October, the rules will not change very much, but instead of going to a government facility, people approved to travel to Cayman will be able to isolate in their own homes or in hotels that they are paying for.
They will not be allowed to move outside of the perimeters set on the geofence device, which will likely be on a wrist tag, and will face significant penalties if they breach the requirement. Following an isolation period of 14 days, the travellers will be tested for COVID-19. If that is negative, they will be released from isolation and the tags removed.
“Given the ever-increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases in many of the countries around us, particularly the United States of America and Jamaica, we have had to adjust our initial plans, especially regarding isolation,” McLaughlin said, as he explained the details of the electronic monitoring of home isolation as an alternative to government isolation facilities.
“We will… ramp up the programme of random physical checks on those quarantine at home,” he said, adding that government was using a “belt and braces approach, with technology backed up by physical verification”. Public health officials will be checking that those in isolation do not leave their designated accommodation and that no one visits them at their homes or hotels.
Anyone who does not want to wear a tag will be required to isolate at a government facility.
McLaughlin said that government is targetting a maximum of 800 longer-term visitors, such as vacation homeowners and those taking up the global citizen programme when its finalised.
But once the borders open, all new arrivals to Cayman will still only be able to travel here next month on one of three scheduled British Airways flights from London or on a Cayman Airways flight from Kingston, La Ceiba or Miami, or on approved private charters. No other commercial airlines have been cleared to come to Cayman and the premier warned people not to book with other airlines because they do not have permission to come.
McLaughlin confirmed that the tags have arrived and a small selected group of people arriving on BA next week will be allowed to trial the new home-isolation protocols. He said this trial group will help finalise the plans for 1 October and try out other things, such as airport testing, for future phases.
Even though the changes are only marginally different from the current situation, it will allow more people to come into Cayman who can spend money in the economy, the premier said.
The decision to change was guided by the science and not by public opinion, McLaughlin said, but the situation around Cayman affected the decision to revise the plans.
“The US is getting more dangerous rather than less so, and we can see now what is happening in the UK. Those things have given us even more reason to pause,” he said. “We really debated for a long time… if we could possibly shorten, even by only four or five says, the isolation period with the use of the bio-button,” he said, but the collective conclusion was that it was too risky.
However, he said that government had confidence in the GPS option, where an alarm will be triggered if the wearer tries to take it off or turn it off or go outside of the limited geofence area.
McLaughlin said the isolation would be treated seriously. “If, for instance, those two travellers who tested positive yesterday had been out and about in the community, you just have to think about what the possibilities were,” he said.
Questions remain as to who will ultimately pay for the tags, which arrived in Cayman this week. While government has bought and paid for them, McLaughlin said that government has not yet decided on the matter but feels that those who choose isolation should be picking up the tab. He noted, however, that at $150 to $200 for the tags and testing, it would still be cheaper for the government than hosting people in mandated quarantine.
Officials from the premier’s office have confirmed that an overall fee will be charged to travellers, to cover the costs of any monitoring devices, PCR testing and any other safety measures. This is still being finalized but is estimated to be within the range of $150-$200 per traveler. “The geo-fencing solution has come in much cheaper than the technology previously being considered,” the officials stated.
See here for more details on travelling to Cayman. Outbound travel can still be organised directly with airlines.
See the full press briefing on CIGTV below:
Category: Local News, Transport
So the people will be in isolation for 14 days.
But they still need to eat. So how will they get foot? Room service? Pizza delivery ?
Who protects those people bringing them food
During that period ?
I see this thing slipping between the cracks then we go back on lock down.
Great idea letting covid in !
What amazes me is why people take simple problems and extend them into these kind of emotional outburst issues. I get people are concerned about Covid but let’s step back and look at things in perspective please.
A simple operational solution is that the government requires everyone doing home isolation to accept a sticker on their front door with “Quarantine” emblazoned in red with a warning below not to enter the premises.
Then delivery people would know that they would need to just drop off items and not interact with anyone at the residence.
Exactly!!
Also, if they are staying at a hotel, are they free to roam around the property going to the pool, restaurants and the beach?
No they are not.
They are not even entitled to toilet paper any more.
Simply impossible. It is included in room rate. There are no hotels in the world that come without toilet paper.
9:17 do you not understand the concept of quarantine? They are restricted to their room only.
They can’t set foot outside the room!! Do your homework.
Dr.Lee, Alden and all of those involved are doing their utmost to mimimise the impact of Covid19 in Cayman. So far, they have suceeeded and those of us who live here are very, very thankful and support their efforts.
PLEASE back-off with the criticisms.
this is not criticism but constructive suggestions
Have been thinking about this for a few days and have come to the conclusion we are actually in a far worse position than we were before. At least with the previous plan we had progression to something.
Aldens current plan (They seem to change regularly) is nothing new and in fact could and should have been implemented months ago as a first step to get the civil service and island ready and able to take on visitors and to understand how to open up incrementally.
What is more concerning is what was not said on Wednesday. There was no communication about how they will progress to allowing more tourists in. They didn’t talk about direct flights from Canada or what would happen when BA stops direct flights at the end of November. They also didn’t provide any details about how visitors can use the Global Citizen program or when it would be available.
Nothing…. Think about how bizarre that is. We are 6 months into the pandemic and our government cannot communicate a plan about how they will manage allowing visitors to our islands or the quarantine procedures that will be required, apart from some bare details which could have been agreed 20 minutes before the press briefing.
In reality we have gone backwards to a position we should have been in months ago and rather than outline the plan to move forward, there was silence. Alden dressed it up as progress but it’s anything but!!
People need to plan and prepare. This is a fundamental way people work and is a fundamental difference between successful and not so successful societies.
The problem is that this government cannot create a realistic plan that it sticks to. It keeps blaming Covid but this is total garbage. Covid was there 6 months ago and it will be there 6 months from now. Covid isn’t the problem, our goverment’s lack of ability in planning is the problem and it needs to change.
All of the sexy initiatives, like Global Citizen, are non starters without a strategic plan that actually moves things forward. We need to pressure government to start outlining their future plans. Otherwise we just remain “no plan” Cayman.
CNS PLEASE tell us if they are testing prior to departure because I can’t take the posters saying no one is tested before boarding a plane.
No testing is required prior to departure. Check with Traveltime.
Why have Bermuda and Barbados required testing 72 hours before travel to their islands Since July but we don’t require? Testing is not hard to do in Canada and UK but testing is still difficult to do in large parts of U.S. even if Trump says it is not.
We need to start looking at the Bermuda and Barbados models soon.
No (pre-departure) COVID test required, because HSA is requiring a 14 day quarantine. They are basically presuming that ANYONE arriving has COVID and are acting accordingly…safest way; at least for the first phase. Also smart is that they are requiring a PCR test upon arrival….but they are not saying the guest can avoid quarantine even if negative…so that means they are both using it for baseline measurements (how many people from USA arrive positive?…AND/OR we want to establish up front that we will be testing upon arrival into the foreseeable future)…so that it is a part of any protocol for phase 2 and phase 3. I also think that is also forward-thinking.
Safest Way HAHA…If we pre tested 72 hours before we would at least remove people that show up positive and could be contagious before the flight.
As I said before I few here no pre test and tats the mistake CIG make.
Pre-departure tests could eliminate the entire flight being contaminated by the one person that has it. Our flight crews are being subjected to this cruel and inhumane way of just allowing people to board flights without any thought..Coming out of Canada you can’t leave without having a covid test.
Relax. A friend flew Miami-Istanbul non stop, layover 12 hours then to his home country. No predepature tests. Only upon arrival to his home country. Negative. Month later still healthy.
A cousin with children just spent 2 weeks in Turkey. No pre departure or upon return testing. All are healthy.
Flight crews are not subjected to anything. HEPA filters on Boeing airplanes capture more than 99.9% of airborne viruses and bacteria.
I’d give you a fear monger award if I could. You probably write this from under your bed wearing a face mask and gloves.
Beyond me how this is forward thinking when you presume anyone arriving here has COVID. This is just dumb especially people coming from Canada and the U.K. now. This thinking is 3 months out. Have people pre test 72 hours before they come here starting in November. It has worked successfully in Bermuda and Barbados and can work here.
We have to move forward and gradually get out of our bubble.
And not everyone in the US has Covid. Not even close.
Testing 3 days before travel does not work. It would record you as negative even though you may have been exposed a week prior, or even during subsequent travel.
Having been to Bermuda in the past month it’s obvious to me it does AND to the WHO that has given them credit and to the CDC that has put them to a Level 2 the same as Cayman…..SO you are wrong the proof has been there since July.
Ummm, the above statements are scientifically factual. There is no room for supposition, interpretation and belief.
Has worked successfully in Bermuda and Barbados the past 2 months.
It could also show that you are positive and if so you would not be allowed to travel and possibly affect other people at the airport, on the airplane or any other people that you may come in contact with..
Yes please confirm there has been a requirement to test 72 hours before as I did not have to 4 weeks ago.
There is no point in testing beforehand if everyone goes into14 day quarantine.
And tomorrow Cayman could take a direct hit from one of several disturbances popping up like popcorn and covid19 would be the least of your worries. You will discover then, while digging out what is left of your houses, that nobody surprisingly got sick with COVID19.
Yeah and why is that there is no Covid in Haiti but its a big problem in the DR.
14 days quarantine will mean people that have went home to see family and friends having to take unpaid leave from their work when they return here. Who gets that much annual leave that they can afford to take 2 weeks sitting in their house? I certainly don’t. CIG are trying nothing more than to say ‘look at us. Covid free.’ Yeah great but it is unsustainable. There is NO vaccine anywhere near ready. There is risk attached to everything.
Why would you go and visit family at a time like this.
I just want to thank CIG for NOT listening to the private sector for the past 6 mths and now with our reopening plan.
If you had listened to the private sector we would have been unlocked in May and had thousands of deaths.
Thousands of deaths is a exaggeration!
It’s the numbers of a delusional imbecile who has no evidence world wide to support the claim.
900,000 and counting.
Out of a population of…..
7:27pm should be 900,001
People are traveling all over the world, you been in your bubble too long.
Don’t like our bubble? Cayman Airways and British Airways will be happy to take you out but if you want to come back to the bubble, and I suspect you will, you will need to abide by the rules.
B.S.
Yea thank god our leaders have more sense than potus himself and the other leaders who thought corona was just going to disappear or was a hoax.
There are consequences for all of your actions. If you don’t like them then you have choices. Not anyone’s problem but yours just because you don’t like your choices.
This “disease” and science seems to be an oxymoron. We are still waiting for them to isolate the virus.
It has NOT been done yet.
Stop bullying.
What a Joke!
As Cayman still struggles with opening today Bermuda is upgraded to a Level 2 travel advisory from the CDC, the same as Cayman Is. Bermuda has been open since the 1st of July, 61% of its hotel innovatory is working and tourists are coming. They also offer a full 12 months for global citizens visa. They have earned awards for their efforts and success as a safe destination.
We have sat here with our people suffering long enough, everyone in the tourism sector should be disgraced with this plan. CIG has had months to watch other islands and how things went and yet still not reasonable plan.
Tourist are waiting to travel and we are letting them get away because we could not come up or even copy another countries plan……what a joke!
100% true 3:14pm. I missed 2 trips to Cayman in the past 6 months and I would usually be planning one more for the year. Now, I am planning to go elsewhere- where the island is open, has a nice beach, hot in the winter and no quarantine. I have quite a few islands to choose from and now just have to pick. Sadly, Cayman is not on that list.
Please let us know what island you choose. My understanding is that the Bahamas and Barbado both have a 14 day quarantine (Barbado if you are coming from a high risk country, which includes the US). You may not have to quarantine in Bermuda but you need to test before and then 3 times over the next two weeks, plus take your temperature twice a day. Not really worth it if you’re going for a week or two holiday. I’d love to know what islands are easier to enter.
A temperature check on an app is no big deal. Currently looking at 3 Caribbean island (I’m including Bermuda in that although Bermuda is not really in the Caribbean) and a few other places that would be a longer travel, but on my bucket list. I have 8 places on my list that have easy protocols, but honestly do not want to list them on a forum as if they get to popular in the next few weeks, the deals will not be as good. You know how it goes…supply and demand. You can do your research…not hard to do.
In Barbados there is no quarantine for people from Canada and the UK if you have a pre test 72 hours before you travel there.
Bermuda has excellent public bus system that integrates with the ferry service, door to door delivery of mail, extremely strong and well built houses that are capable of withstanding a severe hurricane reasonably well. They also don’t dump their garbage in open air piles.
Bermuda also has a magnificent Canadian built airport which puts ours to shame as a tourist destination airport.
Which was constructed on a Private Finance Initiative or PPP contract for which the Bermudian people have no stake, no income and I believe pay a landing fee per visitor and guaranteed income to the developer, even during Covid. A very poor deal for the country which contributed to an election defeat for the then government. Details details.
You obviously have zero understanding on how Private / Public / Partnerships work. Everybody else in the Caribbean who has built major airports in the Caribbean in the past 20 years understands the approach but no, we are a brilliant people here and can learn from no one else. The cost of being brilliant.
Sadly, PPP is beyond your understanding intellectually but no doubt you are one of those who was feeding at the financial trough when our airport was being built. It is the Cayman way. We do not learn from others.
Went to Bermuda for years until I found Cayman. I could go to Cayman ( hotel, air, car) for 7 days vs. Bermuda air/ hotel for 4. With Cayman closed, Bermuda is definitely back on my list. Bermuda is also running some promising deals!
If you’re planning a winter trip, best bring your winter coat to Bermuda. Only beach weather in the summer there imo.
Agree, I was there in April and the high temperature was in the 50’s.
Day time temperatures are very comfortable. I lived and worked there for 3 years. I spent many weekends on the beach- during winter, spring, summer and fall months.
Since not all houses have heating, when it is by Bermudian standards “cold”, humidity in unheated houses makes it feel much colder.
Cold enough for hail makes it cold by anyone’s standard !
I went swimming at Elbow beach on NY day 3 years in a row. I’m from the North US, so didn’t feel bad to me at all. Like Bermuda best April- October though.
They are not a tropical island though. I am waiting to visit Cayman in the winter for it’s climate, people, and underwater beauty.
True. But that is not the point being made here. 2 OT territories surrounded by sea/ocean. One is decades ahead in infrastructure development that puts the other to shame.
Bermuda is great April- October and if you don’t want to do the beach thing, year round.
This is a numbers game. If 100% of our active cases are now stemming from in-bound passengers discovered after their 14 day quarantine, that had “passed” a PCR test 72 hours prior to their travel, then we should understand how risky it is to “home quarantine” these select travelers at home, while excluding the balance of their full households. The entire household should need to home quarantine with that traveller, all issued with bracelets, and passing recirculation testing. No nannies, no cleaners, no personal shopper/helpers, and no pet playdates. If we don’t do this properly, we’ll be back to masks and suppression lockdowns within a couple months – bracelets or not. That’s not an opinion, it’s just the law of large numbers.
WHERE do you people get your infomation there is NO current requirement for PRE testing PCR 72 hours before. IF there was we maybe COVID Free
Gah. Seriously dude. Stop.
Not True!
This analysis ignores the years of life lost from long term unemployment and underemployment from not reopening to the outside world:
https://www.cumber.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-COVID-19-Iceberg-2.jpg
Dear Cayman,
Please realize that everyone everywhere has been in quarantine in one form or another for six months. COVID cases in the US are not running rampant. Check the CDC numbers. It would have to be an extraordinary reason for anyone to travel to Cayman just to put up with two more weeks of quarantine.
I know there are those that say “then don’t come” but there are thousands of Caymanians whose income depends on it. Please come up with a reasonable, workable plan for reopening. Your country depends on it.
Yes but right now a lot of restaurants are busy and people are out shopping. Those jobs also matter. Why risk having to lockdown again? There are a lot of countries that require a 14 day quarantine upon arrival.
Agreed, but most if not all of those countries are less reliant on tourist and business travel than Cayman.
Didn’t the Bahamas also impose more restrictions after a surge in cases following their border opening? Haven’t they also imposed a 14 day quarantine now?
I’ve been traveling North America for months. The most scared I’ve been of catching Covid is in the F-ing bus to our quarantine facilities! Over one hour on the bus waiting, people packed in. Kids crawling all over, zero supervision in site. The process really is an embarrassment.
CLearly, you’re not scared of catching Covid if you’ve been travelling for months. Which is why it is particularly important we quarantine people like you.
I was not scared because I had it! Brought a box of tissues and stayed in one place for 10 days.
Didn’t meet the tissues though!
And there are a lot that use testing and don’t!
But what about those that live here that want to go away and come back?? I am happy to quarantine for 2 weeks when I return since I can work from home.
I guess I can wait until Christmas…
hmm, you think it will be different then?
Yes, I can catch a ride on Santa’s sleigh.
Testing before 14 day quarantine? Why? What’s the point of quarantine thet long? Has the government any idea what it is doing? Who’s the fall guy for the biobuttons? What a joke this all has become. Meanwhile the economy is in tatters despite what Alden was smirking about yesterday with Joey who
Just look at the news. Don’t be wet.
SO….Are the Cayman Airways flight crew required to isolate on return?
If not I can NOT find an exemption in the legislation for it. Any one know where this is?
Sorry, but that is a silly plan. CIG has resources, why not use them? CIG claims they are following the WHO guidance which suggests 14 days quarantine – that is meant to be used IN THE ABSENCE OF TESTING. We have testing available, let’s use it! Pre-arrival test, test at the airport, quarantine at home for 5 days, then another test. If all negative, come out and play. Bermuda has been doing it that way for 2 months and managing just fine. Come on guys, it’s not that hard…
Hard for you to understand maybe. 100% of our positive cases are from inbound passengers that “passed” a pre-screening PCR test with a negative result, within 72hrs prior of their flight, and they are testing positive even after having subsequently quarantined for 14/15 days. What do you think that tells you about the incubation period of the virus? That’s why 14 days makes sense. Sorry the science of this disease is not convenient for you.
WRONG there is no PRE TESTING. SO the comment is correct get your facts right!
Yes there is. Stop it
No there is not. Came in 3 weeks ago no pre test.
Wrong!
Bermuda does not have the quarantine.
And Bermuda has the Covid.
And so does Cayman and so does the rest of the world. Bermuda is open and people are living there- coming and going, not confined in a bubble.
Yes and students are wearing masks in the classrooms. New arrivals have to take a covid test before they get there and three more covid tests during the first two weeks. And take their temperature twice a day which they have to register. It’s not that open and free. So a lot more restrictions on residents and a lot more risk to attract a minority of travellers willing to go through all that for a short holiday.
No one gives a flying f*ck about Bermuda.
If you like it so much, GO THERE and stay the hell out of Cayman.
The cases we now have are people flying in who are in quarantine. The rest of the community is safe and living life with our borders. If you are incapable of understanding the precautions that have been taken and that people are happy being able to function normally. Then don’t stay here. It’s a big world, go.
Another brilliant Caymanian living in his bubble.
There comes a point where we have to get in with life while taking COVID precautions. Bermuda and Barbados can be our model.
And how does CIG plan to monitor people in quarantine in their own home to ensure they do not have visits from friends and/or family
9:56. The exact way Government has been doing it for the past 6 months. Remember we did have hundreds of COVID-19 positive persons isolating at home. Keep calm.
Exactly – there were hundreds of people isolating at home. They caught covid from somewhere. How do you know that visits by friends/family to people in “isolation” didn’t contribute to some of those cases?
Take a breath and calm down. No one died on island that is a resident.
And how do you know that they did not have hundreds of visitors – we are not talking about how many people might have contracted Covid-19 – we are just talking about how CIG could keep track of possible visitors to quarantined people – keep calm and make sure you understand the issue before giving a glib response.
Well if the they had hundreds of visitors we would still be in lock down zzzzzzz
CIG is simply the best.
Maybe treat them like grown-ups rather than infantilizing them? How about giving people facts and letting them get on with their lives.
It seems to have worked well in Sweden.
I don’t know what the rest of the world is so scared of?
Sweden is generally more culturally compliant when asked to do something than other societies. Their traffic voluntarily declined over 40% from pre-COVID levels, though economy suffered the simalarly as neighbouring scandinavian neighbours (ie. decline of 25% vs Denmark 29%), with similarly high infection to those in strict lockdown, and even then, has subsequently become a case study in what not to do, as described by their own health officials. This led to their own implementation of state-ordered suppression measures. In Sweden, young people were least likely to abide the voluntary lockdown – same as we’re seeing in other places that had been in lockdown now easing their suppression.
Reasonable people are scared of COVID-19 because of it’s unknown impact on lifespan. For some silly people that’s important. It doesn’t just have impact on the lungs, but on the entire vasculature that science are only just starting to understand. Nobody can project what “surviving” COVID-19 will mean in terms of hidden complications in 5, 10, 15 years. Again, silly stuff like that.
I think your reading old news. Sweden has outperformed every country in Europe and is expecting to contract by only 4-5% this year: http://www.ft.com/content/fdb6fbe4-4997-4f35-ba41-06ac2d6fd824
It will likely also have lower lost QALY lost over the next decade or so after accounting for the 2nd order effects of this COVID hysteria: less long term unemployment, fewer suicides, mental illness, obesity and health issues etc…
All this achieved without bankrupting the state or enslaving the local population with mind forged manacles
No plan Alden back again with another version of his non-plan plan.
I wish someone could tell me what Bermuda and Barbados have figured out that we don’t get in Cayman? Our plan is so radically different going into October. Why?
Can someone perhaps ask the Premier.
Why don’t you go to Bermuda and Barbados since they’re so wonderful?
Problem is that is exactly what tourists are doing/ going to do for their winter/ spring travel.
Unlikely to get hyperinflation, this happens due to cost-push or demand-pull reasons and none of these are here.
Well that is the plan.
I wonder what will happen to Cayman if the US Dollar collapses in the few weeks after the election? It seems like the Simpsons got it right again. How does that happen? Trump replaced by a woman – Kamala Harris (Biden certainly has dementia). I do not understand how they can continually make these accurate predictions?
The US has been printing money and giving it away like no tomorrow. This can only mean one thing – hyperinflation.
Unfortunately Caymanian banks do not have depositor protection, so deposits could evaporate with no hope of recouping said losses.
That could be catastrophic for most Cayman residents. I dumped into Euros, precious metals and income/food producing property, but nothing is really 100% secure these days.
Sadly, the Cayman banks are very fragile and could collapse easily. A sure sign indicator of serious trouble for Cayman is the Baltic Dry Index. Once this approaches zero, there will be little food.
There are wise people in every country and I know of many in Cayman who have hedged against this eventuality.
One word of advice. Contact your bank and ask them if you can convert to a fixed mortgage rate on your land or property. If the lending rates float (or are variable), you may not be able to make the payments.
Good luck.
Outside of the propaganda arm of the Trump administration, otherwise known as Fox News, Joe Biden does not have dementia. Instead of listening to highly edited clips and right wing hysteria, listen to him talk and then listen to Trump talk. Donald Trump is clearly insane and utterly lacking in any kind of moral compass. Only the Chicken Little Fox News viewers believe the economy will collapse without the great leader. So much bull****
As OP, I can say that Trump and Biden both are untrustworthy. I don’t know how you managed to turn an apolitical post into something that strokes your ego.
So much bullshit.
10:16, Pay attention please. All the bullshit is coming out of Trump every day. It is unending. This is insanity for an American President. I am a Republican but I am not totally stupid.
Will be voting for a Democrat in November as I cannot take this Trump nonsense anymore.
Why would I pay attention to your drivel? I said I was apolitical and you made it political.
Remember at school there was this thing called comprehension?
Read my post again and reply intelligently or post a separate thread.
I know right!! The stock market was at an all time high up until Covid, eh!! Trump really screwed that up/s
I’m sure we can blame him for the gender reveal fire in California, in fact, all of the fires and the riots!
Apolitical post? Now who’s speaking bull?
Er…you. I thought you could read.
Forgive me.
You made it political when you regurgitated right wing propaganda (lies). Biden clearly doesn’t have dementia and the economy will not crash if he wins. What has this got to do with my ego, you nut?
You don’t need to be politically brainwashed to see that Biden has dementia.
Yes you do. Lol
Heard Biden talk for an hour today in an interview. Certainly does not have dementia from what I saw.
He does if you listen to the way Fox News rigs his video clips!
Do you actually know what the Baltic Dry Index represents?
The Siamese twins at Dart must be pissed that their rented government wasted their time and money after months of committing to the bio button only to drop it like a hot potato. Joey “Camanaboi” Hew better deliver something major for his bosses unless the grocery vouchers and cleaning contracts will run dry just as he needs them the most heading into the 2021 elections
Caymanians need to update their funeral and burial plans and arrangements because this is a recipe for a disaster and is going to lead to a serious outbreak which will lead to serious and deadly consequences. The problem is not getting this virus and recovering from it Cayman it’s the lingering affects that will not only cause your death but put you in a serious medical and financial dire situation. The government then no doubt will use these events to their advantage on a number issues they need to resolve. Not requiring those coming from hot zones to properly pre test if that is possible with proper certification unlike what occurred in the Bahamas where faked or false certificates led to an surge in cases and deaths . The folks now running this reopening have already been doing some very questionable things and making rash decisions based on very odd grounds and persons who simple don’t have a friggin clue about how to do this .But they sorting out the special interest $$$$ and the select few ! Yes Cayman we are looking at very sad situation if we don’t get this right? The CMO advice and not Alden McLaughlin ,John Seymour ,Eric Bush or Moses Kirkonell nor Joey Hew should be making life and death decisions for me or my family as a matter of fact.
You are scared. I get it. But it’s time to just come back to reality where you realize we didn’t have our hospital overran with covid cases. We can chill out an trust we will be fine as long as we follow guidelines like masks and social distancing when borders open. It’s the older and with other health issues that will need to take further precautions unfortunately.
Mental health crisis. What is being done to help those desperately need it?
Take a deep breath and relax. People die all the time. It’s part of life.
As far as risks to life go, Covid is way, way down the list.
It’s a fraction of other illnesses:
http://www.visualcapitalist.com/how-many-people-die-each-day/
This virus is NOT GOING AWAY. Just like a multitude of other viruses that have been with us for 100’s of years.
This virus does not and can not kill healthy humans. Statistics will eventually show when everyone calms the buck down that 99.9999% of fatalities had underlying conditions.
We can’t live under these draconian measures indefinitely.
Mass panic and control of the populations in the civilized world is what this Virus has really showed us. Tell people over and over again anything you want and they will believe it.
Josef Goebells must be grinning like a Cheshire cat ffs.
And 99% of those with underlying conditions could live 10, 20 or more years without COVID. Lots of people have asthma when they are young. That’s an underlying condition. That person, however, could live 50-70 more years, but if they get COVID-19, they could die tomorrow. And you would chalk that up to an underlying condition. Please stop watching Fox News and then reporting the ignorance.
And I could cross the road and get hit by a bus or shot when I travel to the USA or eaten by a shark in Australia……..Could is the word here also I could get hit by lightning.
You answered your own question before you asked it. Asthma is an underlying condition.
You missed the point, but then all you Fox News junkies miss the point. Sad.
They can’t stick to a plan when they don’t understand how to plan. CIG is not smart enough to follow anyone else’s success. This is what happens when you’re so ignorant that you are smarter than everyone else.
Just look at how Bermuda has handled the traveller situation since July 1. We can learn from Bermuda NOW. Go to the Bermuda traveller page which is similar in terms of requirements to Barbados. Just look people and CIG officials. It has worked since July 1.
THE SAME RULES CAN WORK HERE.
Bermuda has a great bus system. Went with the Canadians for a new magnificent airport.
Why can we not learn from what works? No need to be jealous.
Fed up on Grand Cayman.
7;28 Who is jealous of Bermuda? That’s a laugh.
If you are so fed up of Cayman then leave. Simple.
We did and it was so quick, the door did not hit my ass on the way out.
I would never trade my freedom for a small island with a despot mentality ever again.
There’s nowhere to go if the SHTF.
It was not always that way. Back in the 80’s up to the noughties, we had a superb quality of life in Cayman for which I am eternally grateful.
Then again, the whole world has changed. Some people are clinging to the past as though nothing has changed and the rest of us are moving on.
8:55 if you did and you are “so glad you did” then why are you still on this news site? Focus on wherever you landed and stop worrying about Cayman’s affairs that no longer concern you.
Sounds like the door did hit you on the ass on your way out and you are salty about it.
Those like you are not missed. Keep it pushing sweetie.
Excellent point. Those that claimed to have left always sculking on CNS…LOL
5:05PM – Always! Lol, it is crazy how often they pop onto this site to give their two cent drivel when they claim they are no longer here. Move on with your life then…smh
8:35, Obviously you believe we are a unique people who cannot learn from the traveller experiences from other islands because we are simply so brilliant.
Bobo, you have been in this island too long and it is you who needs to get off island and see how others deal with problems related to COVID.
We can learn from others.
This seems to be the response to every issue.
Don’t like lousy education then leave, corruption then leave, knife crime then leave, high costs of internet/mobile then leave, incompetent gov’t then leave
It really doesn’t seem a recipe to make things better.
Those with options will leave and those who don’t will stay. It’s happened elsewhere throughout history and doesn’t end well…
Don’t like THE DUMP which grows bigger every day? LEAVE.
We love it here.
Says a lot about you, Bumbadinga.
Yeah 12:08, Big Bobo loves THE DUMP. Says it all. Do you love it too?
100% agreed!
This is what a plan looks like: https://issuu.com/visitbarbados/docs/btmi_travel_protocols_1b?fr=sZjAzNDEyMDU0OA
Not like this:
https://www.exploregov.ky/coronavirus
Nonsensical comment. If your point is that CIG isn’t smart then at least construct a sentence that doesn’t mean the exact opposite of what you’re trying to say.
So NO pre tests…..so people still getting on the flight and already could have been stopped.
Now they get here and test positive and we have to look after them.
Another great plan brought to us by Alden and Joey. SMH
How do I get food for two weeks if even visitors are prohibited?
Order delivery. The grocery stores and restaurants deliver.
will you be paying for delivery? They markup store prices plus delivery charge plus tip, you endup paying 40% more.
Then starve or bring a suitcase of food with you..
Ummm, and when the delivery person touches your credit card when you hand it to them…?
It is done online or over the phone.
Not necessarily.
1:02 That is how it will be done in quarantine daftling.
I was thinking that as well. Someone needs to bring them groceries?
They all deliver. Welcome to the 20th century.
The markups on the food deliveries are 7 percent to 91 percent more than what you would pay if you bought it yourself.
It’s 15$ from kirks. CALM DOWN
$15 to deliver, but every single item is marked up. If carton of eggs is $2 bought in store, it would be $3.15(just a guess) in your delivery basket.
Compare an app prices and in store prices. Add all the fees and tips.
If you can’t afford to pay for food, don’t come. Don’t need your bum ass here anyway. Be the next one mooching off of NAU
Get a friend, family member or neighbour to stock up before you arrive. Deliveries are expensive but it’s still cheaper than going into quarantine. Or get the same friend/neighbour to shop for you & drop outside your door.
It’s not hard. I did it in March when I came back from Italy. It’s only 2 weeks!
Visitor – a person visiting a person or a place, especially socially or as a tourist.
Delivery man – a person who delivers wholesale or retail goods to customers usually over a regular local route.
Your mamma will bring it to you, along with a nice hot cup of cocoa. There, there, poor baby.
So how much did WE pay for 10,000 bio buttons bought prematurely and now not being used? And how much have we spent for these new “tags”? Cant wait to see how govt is going to increase costs to generate revenue to pay back all this crap plus 500M loan.
No BioButtons were bought.
Some people in Government were smart enough to question the proposal. It was not worth $10million.
When will the richest people in the room figure out they are not always the smartest people?
“Some people in Government were smart enough… ”
LOL
It was my NUMEROUS comments with links to FDA site that stopped the bio-button fiasco.
And of course it was CNS that allowed the comments.
I hope CIG is not going to expect returning residents who travel for medical care and not shopping fun or other reasons, to pay for these tags on top of the already gouging airfares from Cayman Airways and the costs incurred while having treatment or care overseas. You should thank God every minute you are healthy and not suffering during this time. Have mercy on those who are.
So 2 weeks in the govt. facility for you then! Your health not worth $150? Maybe try travelling to Health City instead.
I commend the CI Government for this bold move and continued good stewardship regarding COVID-19. At the surface this latest ‘home-quarantine’ seems a good one but as they say, the devil is in the details…. how do you restrict said quarantine people from having visitors, helpers or generally interacting with potentially other household members who would then be likely to venture uninhibited into the general population mix?
Personally, I for one, come Oct 1 when this is implemented will be less prone to going out without my mask or interacting publicly as I do at the moment… just out of an abundance of caution.
I totally agreed. This is especially concerning where the quarantined person lives in a multi family complex such as a condo or apartment. Public health should check every quarantined persons living conditions before approving home isolation. And on top of that, the person has to Organize and be able to afford to pay for home delivery of groceries, prescriptions and other essentials….there is a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure this initiate is effective.
How much does home delivery cost in the Cayman Islands?
Hurleys charge for delivery plus (cost depends on where you live) plus a 10% ‘picking’ fee for selecting your goods
Plus markups on actual items. From 25 cents to $2.50 per item.
less than paying 14-28 days in a government facility.
Unfortunately the mask mostly protects other people from you and doesn’t help you that much. I also have concerns about family members in the same house as those isolating. So they are isolating but their family members are still heading out to work and school????
12:07 are you dumb? If they are isolating with other people, EVERYONE is isolating as they are ALL exposed to the individual. I swear some people lack two brain cells to rub together.
Is everyone in the household required to wear a geofence tag?
It’s decisions like this why I will never live anywhere else. This is truly the best place I have ever lived.
This reopening strategy is the safest I have seen and strikes the right balance between safety and economic prosperity.
Simply genius to use proven Hong Kong technology.
I guess you have a job and income then
Government is running a deficit of $25 million a month currently to maintain zero Covid rate.
Until when?
They’re gambling that a vaccine is right around the corner. If it isn’t or takes a year or two to reach group immunity, are we planning to stay closed to the world until then?
This is not sustainable and makes no sense.
This money would be better spent on improving infrastructure, the abysmal education system, remediation of the dump etc.
They are going to bankrupt the next administration and saddle the younger generation with debts from a virus that has no effect on them…
Typical fiscal management by Alden and his ppm
So we have waited patiently for a comprehensive and progressive opening plan and what we got was a new group of restrictions which should have been introduced back in July! Which part of this couldn’t have been enacted months ago?
14 day quarantine has been the standard since the beginning of the lockdown.
Isolation at your home address has been an option in almost every other comparable jurisdiction for 4 or 5 months.
Use of geofencing devices worn by the person quarantining? Again this has been a standard for many jurisdictions since at least May.
There is nothing new here and certainly nothing that couldn’t have been enacted months ago. The restrictions are so onerous that they have become unreasonable. Yes most other places do have 14 day quarantines but that is because very few other jurisdictions require any covid test at the end of the isolation period, let alone one at the start and one at the end!
The simple truth is this isn’t being run on a scientific approach but on an irrational fear.
Many people said back in April and May that there was no plan and the last few months have shown repeatedly that this is true. They continue to wing it, desperately hoping that a vaccine will arrive soon. Hope is not a strategy and certainly hope will not sustain us once all the pension funds are gone from people’s bank accounts.
The government may be able to sustain a deficit of $25 million a month ($300 million a year!) but we the people cannot. Alden will bankrupt us all in the forlorn hope we can wait it out.
What happens when people realise that the vaccine is only 50% to 75% effective, like a lot of flu shots and tourists are flocking back here. How stupid will we all feel then?
Closing down the islands was easy. Opening back up again requires us to move nimbly with common sense restrictions. None of this is happening.
More fluff from Alden and Joey. I hope people realize they are spinning their wheels there is very little details shared with the public. The proof is in the pudding.
Like I said back in April, Alden will bring Cayman to its knees. Like I said on 1 September, Alden is thinking April 2021. Alden is 5 months behind the curve of how to deal with the virus. Fear based. 99% of populations are fine. We’re not likely to attract persons from old age homes, persons who are ill and infirm or persons from slums. Add the false positives. Add the fact that it took seven weeks for them to realize the bio button plan could not work. That doesn’t include the weeks it took for them to think it was a good idea in the first place.
Don’t you find it strange that almost every country is dragging their feet with these delaying tactics?
It was 30 days, then another, then a few “positive tests” then another 30 days.
How is it that the governments of the world are all in on this draconian “lockstep” approach?
They arrested a pregnant woman in Australia for dissenting and charged her with incitement. New Zealand is worse than Stalin’s USSR.
But on the plus side, did you see the brave Brits, Germans and Spanish recently who all faced down the arrogant police?
What do they have planned for us in November?
Hysteria and irrational fear… We will all look back in a few years and realize how silly it all was.
Many of us realize now.
Open the borders and use the money that would otherwise be deficit spending to build Scared City to house everyone that doesn’t want to live with life’s risks or at least those that pose a risk of at least .6% mortality rate…similar to covid-19.
There are already some people that came off flights that are self-isolating at their homes..Apparently they have a medical excuse to stay in their own homes.
How do I know this? They are my neighbors..scares the crap out of me everyday. I haven’t seen anybody from Public health come by or at least not when I am home. They get deliveries almost every day..granted they are left at the front door
Here’s the real issue. There’s a 99% chance your neighbors are Covid free. Yet your are 100% afraid. Do you see where the real problem lies?
Here is the real issue 7:29. You do not know the above commenters situation or circumstances why they might be concerned. So instead of you jumping on with your Bs, do everyone a favor and stfu. There could also be the chance that they DO have Covid, but you are incapable of considering that huh?
Prevention is better than cure, so precautions are necessary.
Learn some math and statistics.
Medical excuse or friends in the right places?
Here is a wonderful example of persons self isolating at home abiding by the rules of the land, showing that home isolation actually works. It is also an example of why there is no need to assume to cost of policing persons isolating at home. No doubt the suspicious, paranoid “healthy” neighbor would call the police at the first possible opportunity.
And yet you’ll still probably die from a road accident because any shit driver can get a license over your neighbors self isolation with covid.
Neighborhood Watch at its best folks.
I don’t get it. Why not simply have people coming in from Canada and the UK next month have a COVID test 72 hours before arrival in Cayman? That’s what Bermuda and Barbados require for entry. The COVID case numbers are low now in Canada and the U.K. compared to Florida and Texas.
Cayman islands are at the bottom of the smart pool. Everyone else does things differently from Cayman. Cayman does as best it can. In ten years it will be as smart as Bermuda is now. You just have to wait for it. But not to worry. When they go bankrupt the UK will take over and no more ignorant leadership.
I’m not sure you have the right pool.
Bermuda’s debt levels are 5 times higher than Cayman. They have ruined their tourism industry with overpricing and poor service. The offshore industry has been leaving for the past number of years and unemployment is high. Funny you don’t mention that. It’s a shame as Bermuda is a beautiful country but suffers from the same poor quality of politicians as Cayman.
Probably a poor quality of expat resident like Cayman too?
So you are saying our pricing for tourism is good here and we have good customer service? Must have missed something here.
Cayman does have good customer service, we just refuse to allow entitled foreigners disrespect us while on the job.
How easy are these tags to remove and leave within the boundaries of your own block and parcel? We need the neck braces from Running Man, if people then trespass outside their permitted boundaries the neck brace explodes. What happened to all those explosives Big Mac imported years ago?
Get help.
mark my words…within 14 days cig will back track on this idiot plan too.
Boo!
And when will international mail get going between US and GC? 2021?
Need my mail in ballot to get frumpy drumpy out!
wow…cig have come up with a perfect plan to introduce covid into the community….awesome. we will be in strict lockdown in time for xmas.
This is extreme. Why can’t they order out for pizza and have it left on the front steps? Hell thats what we did in NYC and New Jersey in March and April. Pay by credit card or debit card.
We need to learn from Bermuda and Barbados ASAP before we screw ourselves royally from an economic perspective.
One can have friends around but have them wear masks and social distancing with no more than 6 people. Let’s not be so extreme in October.
no plan-alden should have stuck with his no-plan.
there are more holes in this scheme than a block of swiss cheese….
maybe they will put a caymankind sticker on your security bracelet???
Another headline reads: “Government losing $25 million a month amid COVID crisis“
The Border Plan V 3.0 is nothing more than a (non) plan to take the economy back to the 1950s. It doesn’t matter how you frame it, this is not going to work.
And as expected no plan for the return of commercial tourism. This is a touchy subject as some prefer the borders to remain closed and continue living in the bubble. Others are ready to open the doors. The reality is life in the bubble is not sustainable long term and throwing the doors wide open is not a viable solution. At this point the road to reopening hinges around 800 people (if that many) arriving in October and following the extensive entry requirements, CIG watching and waiting and possibly making a plan for the next phase of reopening. I do hope CIG will come up with a viable plan to reintroduce tourism to the islands. I realize this is a controversial statement for many but in my opinion these islands can not survive in a bubble indefinitely. And there are only so many wealthy property owners that will return and spend their money. At some point, stay-over tourists that want to visit for a week or two will have to be welcomed back….but when they return will they feel the warmness of Caymkind or will they be treated with disdain?
Why not ask Canadians who come here in October for 3 weeks or more to take a test in Canada 72 hours before they enter Cayman? That would be the way to go. Canada is NOT / NOT Florida or Texas. We need to be flexible. Just look and see how few cases there are in Canada compared to Florida. 81% of the cases in Canada were in nursing homes in Quebec 4 or 5 months ago.
It works in Barbados and Bermuda for Canadians staying more than 2 weeks so why not in Cayman Islands? Canadian COVID testing works 100%.
Canadians have Canada.
They also own a lot of property in the Cayman Islands that they would like to get access to soon.
So apply to travel time and come in through quarantine.
Why when they could get tested in Canada 72 hours before they came in? That is what they would do in Bermuda and Barbados.
I will applaud the decision to abandon the biobutton, but I don’t believe further praise for Mr. Alden is warranted. He states the decision to drop the biobuttons was based on science and not public opinion, I find that hard to believe as it was apparent the public was “schooling” the government on the science, or more appropriate, the lack of science for the biobuttons. There is no proof of their usefulness in the setting of covid, further there was no evidence in their ability to decrease isolation from 14 to 5 days. Given all the postings on cns, it was apparent the public needed to inform the government on the science of the buttons.
Mr. Alden then states the covid status in the us is more dangerous rather than less. This is simply not true, please look at the data objectively and not through media goggles. Many of the hotspots including California, Texas, Florida and Georgia are all much improved over the last few weeks.
Testing within 3 days prior to arrival and 5 days post arrival with isolation during that time period is a reasonable method to detect positive cases. It takes 3-4 days to become positive after exposure.
Monitoring isolation via tags or cell phone apps is reasonable, however, 14 days of isolation is not required if multiple testing is done during a 7-10 d period spanning time of arrival. Having isolation for 14d is difficult on Cayman as the ability to obtain groceries, cleaning supplies, specialized items is limited.
Other than the elite few rulers of this island, no one is prospering, the borders need to be opened. And no, opening the borders does not mean automatic complete annihilation of Cayman, look at the covid stats objectively.
Well said John Smith. Excellent points all around.
Not true, we’re fine. And def not part of the elite.
Are you serious? No one is receiving a stipend, no one taken pension money, no one has or at risk of foreclosure, no businesses have shut down? Yes, everyone is just fine.
We will be back in lockdown before the end of the year.
Please provide some facts / statistics to support your claim.
As long as I have a little bit of warning I’m good with that!
Well done Alden. Makes sense. Now how do we stop the chosen few in self isolation from having friends around, or even ordering out for pizza? Please do not say the rules will be strictly enforced. We all know Cayman does not do enforcement very well. What’s the plan?
There needs to be a more flexible approach In October similar to Bermuda, Barbados and St. Lucia. Of course, keep people put from Florida out. We have to start somewhere to opening up more flexibly.
I am so proud of our Government. The Caymanian people should not be guinea pigs for the BioButton which according to their own website is used for nursing home patients.
Whats wrong with pizza being dropped at your door if its pre paid?
You might not be able to fit out the door at the end of your 14 day sentence.
Why no ordering out of pizza or any food? Delivered outside and no contact necessary.
The pizza delivery person will know you are quarantining, and to stay well away? How?
Huh? You really need to get jiggy with it!
Assuming the pizza is paid in advance what’s the difference in risk between a pizza guy delivering pizza to a house versus persons dropping food off to the hotel rooms?
To let people die.
So not only do you want people to sit in voluntary solitary confinement for two weeks you don’t want them ordering pizza either…
What happened to the much hyped “Cayman-kind”?
1.58 Complete and utter myth. There are just as many bigots, homophobes and all round bad eggs as there are in any other country anywhere.
MYOB