Masks rules staying for two more months
(CNS): Government has confirmed that the mask mandate for everyone aged five and over in public buildings, schools, restaurants, bars, transport, including inbound flights to Cayman, and other indoor settings where social distancing cannot be maintained will be in effect for two more months.
Limits on outdoor gatherings have been scrapped and the indoor limit on the number of people has increased to 750. Changes to the Control and Management of COVID-19 Regulations came into effect on Friday, 29 April, and will last until 30 June.
Government did not hold a press briefing about the decision to retain the mask rules, despite the growing opposition to the mandate in schools and what some see as the illogical rules regarding when children must wear masks. Instead, government issued a press release in which Interim Chief Medical Officer Dr Autilia Newton urged the public to remain compliant with the mask-wearing requirements, as other restrictions continue to be eased.
“While we acknowledge that some countries have lifted mask-wearing requirements, we have to consider and assess the implications for protecting our population and healthcare system,” she said. “Mask-wearing is still required for indoor events where a distance of six feet cannot be constantly maintained, especially since we have noticed a recent increase in new cases over the last four weeks.”
Travellers, including cruise passengers and air arrivals, must also comply with mask-wearing requirements when in Cayman. Although restrictions on the number of ships and their passenger numbers allowed to call have been lifted, passengers and crew must be vaccinated and have a negative test prior to the start of their cruise.
Visitors flying in must be vaccinated and provide a negative test before arrival. They must also clear their arrival with Travel Cayman. While a number of US-based airlines have removed the requirement for passengers to wear masks on domestic flights, inbound flights to the Cayman Islands will still require passengers to wear masks during the flight.
Officials also reminded the owners and operators of restaurants and bars that servers and front-of-house staff are required to wear masks or cloth face coverings while serving customers.
As well as removing the outdoor gathering limits, people are no longer required to seek Cabinet’s permission for processions and parades, paving the way for the return of full carnivals. The removal of the public gathering limit for outdoor areas extends to boats and sporting events, though boats and venues must still continue to abide by their legal occupancy requirements.
There was no comment in the release from any ministers or the premier about the continued mask mandate.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
I would say that Denmark is a higher IQ country than Cayman.
Here is their response.
https://en.coronasmitte.dk/rules-and-regulations
Capitalism demands sacrifices
Cayman ignorance and arrogance in control…
CIG: “We believe recent increases in cases are related to galas and other indoor events.”
Also CIG: “We’re increasing indoor gathering limits from 500 to 750 persons.”
Yes, cant make this stuff up. The irrationality, and internal inconsistency, of these COVID-theatric statements are comical.
They must have mistakenly licked the magic spray Fosters spritzes on part of one hand as we enter their store.
Rotffl!! They have no clue. Cases have increased as many persons traveled over the Easter holiday and are now testing positive. Masks do not make a difference or at least not a significant difference and should be a personal choice, they are just depriving our lungs of oxygen.
Citations needed.
Why wait until June. Everyone just stop wearing them now. Nobody cares anymore.
The only nobodies that dont care are morons
These power hungry people should be removed! Watching too much CNN!
You’re watching too much Fox
I wish we could end the need to do a test the day before travel and I wish we could end the need to get approval from Travel Cayman.
Interesting to see all the political trolls trying to make a healthcare decision into an indictment of the government.
Healthcare decision my ass.
It’s a mask!… and the research shows it helps to protect you from a recent rise in Covid infections. 15 mins in the supermarket, 5 mins at the gas station, and a few more mins elsewhere. And you want to storm the Government Admin Building. Grow up.
What about the kids at school currently sitting GCSEs and A levels etc, let alone the rest of the least at risk part of the population.
It’s obvious they are waiting until schools are out for the summer so they can wash their hands of it (so to speak).
And kids at school regularly sent outside of the classroom to de-mask and take in fresh air. Wearing a mask all day everyday is not healthy either.
Let’s see their results. If they are worse than other years then you have a point.
Well if you just read more scholarly articles you would know that the CI Goverment ‘healthcare’ decisions are not in line with world experts consensus.
There you go. . . “I looked like and idiot”. . .there’s the peer pressure that make reasonable people break the guidelines and sometimes the law. Just wear your mask, it’s not that much of an inconvenience.
Yes it is. I cannot breathe with it on.
honestly people as such asshats these days, it SO NOT a big deal.
Can we have an update from Commissioner Byrne as to why an arrest is yet to be made in the case involving an unmaksed individual in a healthcare facility?
Come on now, why are we simply bending over and taking this nonsense from unelected bureacrats? Its based on poor data and ignorance.
What are we doing about it? Where are the lawyers? Where is the Human Rights Commisson Crowley guy?
Did smokers cry about their human rights being taken away when smoking was banned on planes and public places?
James Austin Smith would have got it done.
#wheresdale
Tourists are not wearing masks. Nor does it ever seem like the premier is either
I still don’t understand why visitors arriving by boat do not have to have a negative test the day before like air arrivals do. It would be easy to do on the boats or a holding area, not to mention an absolute cash cow for government. $25 for thousands and thousands of passengers. CIG you are missing out here on $ and really not equitable for air arrivals.
What about nudists is Sabrina going to insist they wear masks – that is akin to sacrilege!.
The bulletin says that both air and ship vistors have to be tested before departure but conveniently does not mention that before arriving here our cruisesheep could have been galavanting around the Caribbean for two weeks or more before disembarking here.
No press conference. What does the T in PACT stand for again?
Moronic
Direct rule now!
No mask no problem crying again are we ?? Experts speak fools never listens that’s why we are still in this situation. Be thankful you can complain many have gone who wish they had or could have worn a mask. Wear ya damn mask or stay yah @$$ home !
PACT of doorknobs and imbeciles
Including CAL inbound fights, what about outbound fights ?
Just flew AA to Miami,they announced you could remove youask as soon as the door closed.
Flew in and another airline was handing out masks at the exit door.
Silly pacthetic game.
How many people in the last 2 years have left the Cayman Islands for good? Asking for a friend.
That is awesome news! keep on going!
I literally can’t wait to leave. It’s not paradise–it’s paradise lost. Of course America has its share of inane, unqualified, and downright moronic politicians on both the left and right, but at least there are enough layers of bureaucracy and government to shield us from what little power they hold individually. Here? No buffer from the constant incompetence of PACT and the civil service writ large.
I only have a few months left and I honestly can’t wait. This is more paradise lost than paradise. There’s plenty to critique about the US government, but its biggest advantages are that individual representatives/senators don’t really hold a ton of power and that there are enough layers to shield us from the inane and idiotic ones (on both sides). Here? There’s absolutely no shield to spare us from the likes of Sabrina and Kenny’s ineptitude. If this is the best Cayman can do for itself then, oof–yikes.
Next year for me after 18 years, please come to the airport and slam the plane door closed for me.
I’m sure more have come than left.
They are welcome to it.
Judicial review please, this is based on zero science, just abuse of powers under some bogus emergency health that no longer exists.
Zero science? Masks are not perfect but they do reduce transmission in populations. If you don’t believe that I’ll be sure to cough near you without a mask.
#lame
You really could not have come up with something better than ‘coughing near people without a mask’. Did your mother not teach you manners? Now if you listen to all the medical science experts and all the statistics that do not support your very weak argument you would realise that the risk vs benefit is insignificant. Its like not crossing the street for fear of being knocked down or not flying for the risk of dying in a plane crash.
Prove it 4:16
In the meantime, you stay masked up and isolated and have the courtesy and decency to allow others to live their lives as they see fit.
Live and let live.
But why is reducing transmission a viable policy when hospitalisation rates are so low nowadays and covid is endemic?
Swimming in the shallow end of the gene pool, I see.
Poor baby. Show me where the mask hurt you.
..for everyone aged five and over ????????????????????
US judge throws out Biden’s mask mandate for public transport, airplanes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That judge Is a trump appointed religious kook who knows nothing about science.
Oh how the stupids here would love that judge
Abuse of Power
So no changes to the quarantine requirements? Insane!
Farcical
Maskical
Take your masks and stick em. Not a single tourist wearing them on island in any restaurant. Was at George Town yacht club last Friday and watched a boat load walk in the restaurant without a face mask and no one said a word.
Two sets of rules doesn’t work.
Do returning residents also need Travel Cayman clearance?
Oh yes. Got to have a reason to keep all those Travel Cayman employees on the teat.
The only people that don’t need a clearance letter are the fat cruise shippers. For some reason that I’m sure Kenny will say is based on science.
Do generational Caymanians need permission to return to their own homeland?
No one cares about these ridiculous rules anymore, so good luck enforcing them into the summer.
Enforce them or get rid of them. Letting people flaunt the rules just makes the government look incompetent.
I was at an event this week that was a mix of indoor and outdoor seating and not one person had on a mask (besides staff). Probably 40 people total (half at the event and half just sitting or standing nearby).
I initially wore mine but realized I looked like an idiot being the only one trying to network with a mask on so I took it for the remaining 3.5 hours I was there. Not once did any staff member say anything to anyone re wearing a mask.
Similar story for many of the restaurants I regularly attend, particularly since April 1.
Hilarious! Is our Health Minister going to talk down to us for two more months? Will she be fined?
Well the good news about maskgate is that the Health Minsiter will run a million miles from any press conference where she could get asked about her mask wearing habits or the science underpinning this decision. So limited opportunities for finger wagging.
That’s bad news not good, she should be held accountable with questions about Government policy, that’s her job as an elected official.
Health Minister should be fined for her mask breach. Maybe the Premier should strip her of the Ministry of Health and assign it to Minister Bernie. Ping pong Ministry assignments.
Of course, our Health Minister is going to talk down to us for the next two months. She has the right to do so because she is such a stellar example of mask-wearing. She would NEVER enter a building without her protective cloth mask.
This is bullsh*t!!
Time for Civil Disobedience!
Total disorder!
Mask burning?
Masses should turn out to have a Massive Mask Burning Event
Take off the M to begin your sentence and you have a winner
How about a convoy?
Oh wait, there is one everyday driving in from Bodden Town.
What an absolute disgrace. Letting children continue to bear the brunt of this. Bars open. Nightclubs open. Large public gathers. A Minister of Health who doesn’t wear a mask in a medical clinic. Yet we still require children to wear them to school every day. Those of us in offices are free to take our masks off at our desk, but our children cannot.
Disgraceful decision making that shows this Government needs to be removed at the earliest possible opportunity.
Completely agree – absolutely disgusting! There is no reason for our kids to continue wearing masks at school. Many studies show it has an adverse affect on their learning. Yet they must wear masks for a virus that is of no risk to them???
Was in Tortuga today and 30 tourists from a bus walked in. Not a single one had a mask on, yet all of us locals are standing in line masked up. The cruise ship people never wear masks anywhere and I have yet to see more than a couple that did…
THE AUDACITY!!!! How dare they. This is the biggest overreach and abuse of power. I am disgusted. What a disgrace.
Cry more.
Asinine.
Ridiculous.
This is beyond nonsensical. What does Dr Autilia Newton think will happen in two months? There are no magic cures coming that will change things by the end of June. At this point, the mask mandate, testing requirements and the other “feel-good” regulations come across as just a means for them to retain control.
People willing to go through the ridiculous hurdles placed on travel arrive in other places like the UK and US to find that the rest of the world has completely moved on. Life has returned to normal in those places as the risk from Covid has thankfully diminished. There was a time, yes, when Covid was far more severe and no vaccine was available. Fast forward now to widely available vaccines (for free!) and much milder variants. Yet, we still act like nothing has changed.
Here in Cayman, hospitalizations are practically non-existent, most symptoms are limited to mild or moderate flu-like symptoms (if at all), the country is 80+% vaccinated and the only deaths are of those who have died from others causes (but happened to test positive to Covid on check-in at the hospital). The sacred UK Public Health guidance that Cayman has followed exclusively for years is suddenly no longer relevant because they have ended the control and our government doesn’t want to. Now, all of a sudden, we’re different from the UK and have to “consider and assess the implications for protecting our population and healthcare system.” Give us a break.
Incoming passengers who can socialize (without masks) to their heart’s content at their departure airport are now supposed to be told that they have to wear a mask on board airplanes? Perhaps they can control Cayman Airways that way, but good luck enforcing that on American, Delta, United or any of the others.
When Dr. Newton’s contract is up and she leaves, the severe mental toll that this unnecessary control has placed on our people (especially our children) will not end so quickly. I wonder if our Government is up to the task of dealing with that pending crisis in the same heavy handed manner that Covid is still being dealt with.
Do you honestly think it’s her coming up with the rules? Policy decision. Remember how long it took PACT to drop quarantine on arrival?
Could this be any more pathetic? Two months!
“While we acknowledge that some countries have lifted mask-wearing requirements, we have to consider and assess the implications for protecting our population and healthcare system,”
What implications? 5 in hospital and no threat to healthcare. Protecting the population? How? Covid is endemic now, so when it comes to lifting the mandate, if not now when? What can be different in one month, two months, or three?
Good news! Thank you CIG
Wise decision. Standby for crybabies and Covid deniers.
So Covid only at schools but not when you are drunk, and naked walking on the road for carnival, or after hours at a medical clinic. Logic to the BVI levels happening here!
Uhhh I was on a flight last week from the US and probably only 25% of people wore masks (we wore them)….how do they plan to enforce this? Seems the only enforcement is for the kids in schools. At least 75% of kids have had Covid at my kids school…
Let’s try to make this equal. Just at Cayman National. Big a frame sign saying you must wear a mask, plus a security guard enforcing this. Then 4 staff walk in no masks. 2 of the staff waiting for the elevator with clients. Staff in the open office space with clients and they not wearing masks. Entire premise is a joke. Get rid of mask mandate
Let me get this straight. So 5000+ semi-nude and maskless “adults” can dry hump each other publicly on the streets while our children continue to be oppressed.
Enjoy your single term PACT.
Noticed how they lifted the parade restrictions just in time for carnival? That’s so they get the drunken dry humping idiot vote next time
Has Sabrina turned herself in yet for not wearing a mask in a medical facility?
If not, the hypocrisy….
Rules for thee but not for me.
There are 4 or 5 persons in hospital with COVID. Out of 70,000 people. Hardly a “public health emergency”.
Prior to COVID, influenza put more people in hospital in Cayman than are currently hospitalized with COVID.
April fools right?
This lot are fools every month of the year, not just April.
The only part of the regulations that matters..
“(2) A person who refuses to wear a mask or cloth face covering because of a medical
condition shall not be required to produce documentation verifying the
condition.”
Any medical condition. But you don’t really need an excuse when there is zero enforcement anyway.
Cases will inevitably pick up in the fall and early winter as this virus settles into a seasonal pattern.
Does this mean kids have to wear masks again next school year, and into perpetuity?
I have a medical exemption. You should too.
Hey Sabrina, how many violators have you prosecuted so far?
Did she prosecute herself????
This is total BS. Everything this gov does is to appease tourists whilst not giving a damn about residents. Enjoy your one term.
Is there any way to have a referendum and remove every imbecile in CIG. We need to start over with a totally clean slate. This bunch of clowns couldn’t manage a $3 dollar sale in a house of ill repute.
What a real bunch of dumbasses.