BA flight from UK due next week

| 30/03/2020 | 110 Comments
Cayman News Service
Premier Alden McLaughlin at Monday’s press briefing

(CNS): Governor Martyn Roper said the emergency air-bridge between the UK and the overseas territories will begin early next week with a flight from London, despite the closure of the Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA). The aircraft is expected to bring equipment but could also bring home Caymanians still stuck in the UK, who will all be in mandatory isolation here for two weeks, and take back people wanting to return to London.

During Monday’s COVID-19 press briefing, the public also heard that the soft curfew was going far better, as the message of ‘Stay Home Cayman’ was getting through. There were less people on the road and the supermarket chaos had died down with the introduction of name segregation.

But given the number of people attending the banks on Monday, they had asked government if they, too, could follow the same system. So from now on, people with names starting with A-K will be allowed into the banks on Mondays and Wednesdays, while people with names starting with L-Z will be allowed into the banks on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However the banks will allow everyone to enter on Fridays.

Alongside various updates from a new online COVID-19 self-assessment tool on government’s coronavirus website to advise on face-masks, the problem of inadequate testing for this virus was also at the forefront of the briefing. There were, however, no new test results or updates on outstanding samples.

The governor said that in addition to organising a British Airways flight, opening the air-bridge between the UK and its overseas territories via Bermuda and Cayman, the British government was heavily involved in assisting Cayman to get access to rapid testing equipment.

These test are not only important for helping manage the pandemic locally but will be critical in the medium-term to help Cayman gradually open up the local economy, and in the long-term opening the borders.

While nothing has yet been confirmed, given the importance of testing, the governor said talks were ongoing with a South Korean company that might be able to supply Cayman with significant numbers of kits and the UK was helping with the due process on that possibility.

Outlining the air-bridge details, Roper said that it might be bringing some testing equipment, if it can be sourced in time, to address our more immediate needs, but more details of that would be revealed shortly. In the meantime, in addition to the protective equipment the plane will be bringing from the UK, there will be room for Cayman residents on the flight.

There will be a charge for tickets for anyone who urgently needs to go to the UK on the return flight, though the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is subsidizing the flight. Seats will be available on a first-come first-serve basis in both directions, with priority given for compassionate and emergency circumstances.

Roper explained the importance of this link to the UK, which he said demonstrated Britain’s commitment to the territories.

“This flight is extremely important as it will be bringing the UK-funded consignment of protective personal equipment for us to use here in Cayman,” he said. “We are also exploring a number of avenues around testing. We can’t give details on this but I have also been in touch with a number of people today about using this BA flight to bring in that equipment.”

Reassuring people about the potential risk, he said the primary purpose of this flight was to bring in equipment and take people back to London. He said he was aware of a small number of Caymanian residents there who wanted to come back and they will be required to isolate immediately upon return. He confirmed that the BA crew will not leave the aircraft, so there will be no risk posed to the community from the flight.

The premier said that the isolation option at hotels would remain open, as he stressed that isolation was mandatory. “It is important for people to understand that self-isolation is not an option; it is absolutely mandatory,” he said. “We now have significant personnel that we are able to deploy to monitor that people are isolating as they need to.

“It would be beyond tragic if you came back and infected your family and friends… and killed off your grandmother, your aunt, your mother just because you selfishly didn’t want to spend two weeks in isolation, having come from a very high risk jurisdiction with respect to this virus. We are taking this very seriously,” he warned.

Any Cayman resident wanting to get on the flight and come back from the UK should contact the Cayman Islands London Office, while those here wanting to get to the UK should call the local travel hotline: 244 3333 (see here for more details).


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Category: Health, Local News, Medical Health

Comments (110)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    If we had quarantined the first wave, ie March 14 to March 21, as many of us begged to be done, this situation would be much better. Very few are taking this with the degree of seriousness it deserves.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Cayman has helped the Outside world over and above – now you guys need to go. We must take care of our house.

    Now is a good time for government to do what President Trump is doing – and that is if one has a GreenCard and cannot sustain oneself then you must go. Same should happen here – as far as I know the law for Status Grants states that Status and PR Holders must be able to sustain oneself(s). Good time to drain the swamp.

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    • Anon says:

      And when Cayman wants help from those ‘drained from the swamp’ in the ex pat world – will you still expect it as you cannot sustain yourselves????

  3. Anonymous says:

    CaymanKind … well well in this case we got to be careful CaymanKind can kill. We can’t rescue everyone.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    I am glad that Alden clarified this today. I know that he is under a lot of stress but he and the Governor could have said what they said about quarantining these people in the hotel but saying what they said yesterday that they would have to mandatory self isolate and that the hotels would be open to them like they did with the students are two different and separate things.

    To today come out and be angry with the people for what he said yesterday is not productive albeit a sigh of relief.

    I just hope and pray that these folks understand that they “must” remain there the entire time and not to come out or come in contact with anyone else.

  5. Anonymous says:

    10:14 .And why didn’t you report them.?

  6. Elvis says:

    why oh why are people being allowed to arrive in Cayman when the world is locked down?

    we are seriously playing with fire folks. no matter what plans are in place for them.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    So the people that get off that rescue flight in Bermuda will be required to enter a mandatory quaratine there ( http://www.royalgazette.com/health/article/20200331/air-bridge-from-uk-wins-approval ) yet the ones that arrive here can go home and promise to self isolate? I have to believe this gets clarified today.

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    • Anonymous says:

      1.05 that is NOT what is happening, get your facts before spouting nonsense.

    • Moi says:

      Did you watch the daily press release at all? They are not being allowed home! Straight into Gov mandatory isolation!!!! Good grief, how many times did the Premier and the Governor have to repeat it? Jeez!

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      • Anonymous says:

        Watched the presser yesterday where there was NO mention of enforced isolation. This is a reaction to the overnight backlash.

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      • Anonymous says:

        They are still going to be exposed to lots of people… on the plane, in the airport, the transportation to where ever… I still say this is a reckless and disastrous move. My God are we ever going to comprehend before it’s too late. 🙏

  8. Anonymous says:

    All I can think of – is that some of us must have the “Coronavirus” in their brains. God help us!

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Compulsory isolation in a secure hotel is a must. If the returnees do not like it then stay where you are. Since the last flight on 16 March the number of cases in the UK has risen 16 times and there is an even greater significant risk that returning residents will be infected.

    We simply cannot allow any risk of infection into the population when we have worked so hard to try and control this disease.

    There is too much risk that voluntary self isolation will not be followed, especially if we are allowed more freedom in the coming weeks, and just one person could put us back to square one.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Wow! Some of the comments here are unbelievable. There is a mandatory period of self-isolation. People coming back are not doing it in order to intentionally run around and infect half the island AND at some stage Cayman is going to have to start receiving people from the outside world. The virus will not have vanished without a trace by that stage. Due to a sick family member I had to leave the island right before the flights were cut off. I left with a heavy heart and having to leave my family in Cayman. I am now stuck in quarantine overseas and will remain in isolation for the duration as I cannot risk the health of my family member here. But does that mean I should not be allowed to return home when I am able? I know what quarantine looks like and am diligently doing it here, prepared to do it on my return and would need to do it again any time I were able to return to the UK. I will not have been outside except to get on a plane by the time I return. And some of you people would not let me return to my home and family? Let’s not pretend that this virus is making people kinder and more open, because it’s clear from these comments that it is not.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Whilst your personal circumstances are sad and we can all be sympathetic , that doesn’t get past the fact that the obligations to protect an entire island of people outweigh the rights and benefits of the individual. An entire island is in shut down to avoid the risk of contagion – do you think it’s reasonable that one person doesn’t have to have the rules apply to them because they are special or an exception, especially when seeing your family here again is not a matter of life and death whereas risking introducing the virus is. And whilst I am sure you have been in complete isolation, have followed all the rules and won’t pick it up on the way to the airport, how do we as a society’s know that is the case and that you are not just saying that so you can get back? Or put it another way – would you be happy that we do the same for everyone else as well – just take them at their word when your family could be at risk? Or you can wait until this is under control and we have a strict, enforced quarantine system for people returning.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Wow. What a bunch of nasty, small minded, short sighted posts. If and when we do get an outbreak the same posters will be begging for UK airlifts!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Why would we want to go elsewhere with more infected people? Lol

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    • Lomart says:

      So very true. I cannot believe how heartless some of our people are. CAYMANKIND
      went out the window for sure (if it was ever here).

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      • Anonymous says:

        3.07pm.. you know enough is enough… if we only had our own to deal with we wouldn’t be so angry. Don’t know who you are – but have you ever seen a plane load of Caymanians land in other country. Never happened but they are coming by the plane loads every day – all day long. We had enough.
        Calling these countries please come and get your people. Thank you!!!

  12. Anonymous says:

    Well I went to Fosters, Countryside this morning and it was a pleasure. As Mr. Trump would say it was ” beautiful and perfect” the Isles are wide enough and shoppers were waiting a good distance behind each other when selecting their items and cashing out. I would like to thank Woody and the staff for all the effort they are making to keep us safe. No one invaded my space and there was minimum talking, everybody just courteously doing their business. My hope is that this arrangement can remain for the conceivable future even after the virus passes. Thank you Fosters FoodFair, CountrySide and may God continue to bless you.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah, “beautiful and perfect” just like all those coronavirus virus testing kits that Trump says are plentiful while in reality they are in very limited supply, while doctors and nurses are now dying and many getting very sick as NYC is dying.

      As of today, one death every 3 minutes in NYC due to coronavirus.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Thank you for reminding us to appreciate everybody who is keeping us well supplied with groceries .. as well as with electricity, water, internet, medical care etc. Thank you, essential workers!

  13. Anonymous says:

    Isolation and testing is needed to flattened the curve.

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    • Anonymous says:

      We don’t have a curve here to flatten.
      Hopefully we won’t have local transmission, if we keep our borders closed & isolate anyone that does come in, until there is a vaccine (next year?).

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      • Anonymous says:

        All those coming in from that hot spot should be quarantine and tested. This virus may well have been here since December and were being treated as sinusitis.
        Had we not got so panicky maybe life would have continue just fine as in Belarus, where the government and its people are going about there normal business.
        There are many positives from this corona virus from: personal, to business to country.
        The lockdown there are many positives too.
        The brighter side of things is the way forward

        • Anonymous says:

          Yes Belarus is a great model to follow. Obviously you have never been there. Want to take bets that in 3 weeks they will start panicking there?

  14. Anonymous says:

    The 2019-20 flu vaccine achieves only about 42% inoculative effect against the specific strains of its design. Waiting for a vaccine with similarly poor performance might not be worthwhile. It’s looking more likely in months ahead, that there may be more “recovered” than isolated, and the rules and pressures will change to allow those (enviably) medallioned as recovered to recirculate and travel. The USA and other countries have made that medical choice for most of us, sadly. All that’s left to decide is which blood antibody test and Intl method will be acceptable to denote in travel documents. These will be the May/June discussions.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    I trust that anyone arriving from the UK will be quarantined as the local students have been. BA flights have been the mode of Bermuda’s importation of the majority of its cases http://www.royalgazette.com/news/article/20200331/positive-covid-19-tests-up-to-27&utm_source=newsletter20200331&utm_medium=email&utm_content=toparticle_morelink&utm_campaign=newsletter
    It will also be appreciated if the Governor would give us the value of the “the UK-funded consignment of protective personal equipment for us to use here in Cayman”. Trust me, it won’t be much.

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  16. Bad Idea says.. says:

    I’m sorry but those Caymanian / UK nationals must remain in UK. This is too risky ! They had the chance to come back two weeks ago. Here we are restricting people from moving about both day and night, yet we are now willing to turn everything Great the government has done so far into a big NAUGHT. Unless you lock them down under 24 hour security you have no way to guarantee self isolation. Bad idea. Get the plane in with supplies yes and take people out ( only if they choose) but my God don’t bring anyone in.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If they are Caymanian they are legally allowed to return regardless of what anyone says…. Unless the government wants to revoke there citizenship.
      It’s unfortunate but that is the way it is.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Freedom movement has been suspended unlawfully within the islands and not a peep….. So obviously they have no issue with breaking bill of rights.

        CNS: Legally you are wrong. See the statement by the Human Rights Commission in the CNS Library. Of course, you have every right to challenge this in court, but even if you can get a lawyer to represent you, they will demand a very sizable retainer for such a weak case. Morally, you are moaning about your rights not to move around versus other people’s right not to get sick and die because of your selfishness. Stop whining and stop being a schmuck.

        • Anonymous says:

          Thumbs up CNS….What a SCHMUCK!!!

        • Anonymous says:

          The Cayman Human Rights Commission are appointed by the Governor and are only a quango none of its members have any real human rights law experience or learning. The lawyers on this island are jokes and only come here when they can’t get work anywhere else. The Privy Council would overturn the Regulations in a heartbeat on the grounds of lack of proportionality and irrationality.

          CNS: You do understand that the UK is on lockdown as well, right? Anyway, good luck with your law suit. Let us know how it turns out.

    • Anonymous says:

      Bad idea, Weren’t all the seats taken in the BA flight a couple of weeks ago? My 17 year old son tried to get on the flight and was told by BA all seats were sold in all classes.

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      • Anonymous says:

        There were loads of spare seats and you could buy them at ba.com right up to Sunday 16th March. I did. Stop spreading fake news.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    Two kinds of comments, two kinds of people. Those who think of the whole of humanity and those who only can think of themself. Humanity cannot survive without the former and has no need for the later.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You were perfectly fine with modern day genocides and starvations Suddenly you want to save the world and start shaming others out of context.
      It doesn’t work like that. Put your oxygen mask on first, before assisting your child. Once you are dead you can’t help anyone.
      Let see what kind of conclusions you make out of this comment.

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    • Anonymous says:

      My father told me there were only two types of people in the world.

      Bracas and those that want to be.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    No one should be allowed to enter the Cayman Islands! Gov’t has been doing a great job so far. Don’t risk it. We have all worked too hard to keep the virus away from our shores.

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  19. Anonymous says:

    Well, the silver lining in this debacle is that corruption is being exposed. Republican Richard Burr is just the tip of the iceberg. He has been accused of using advance knowledge of the CV Pandemic to make a fortune on the Stock Market.
    A lot more corrupt politicians and lawmakers are going down and do not be surprised if it reaches Cayman. Dark to Light.
    Funny thing is that Burr has now retained legal counsel, Alice Fisher the same Assistant Attorney General that prevented victim notifications of underage girls that were victims of Epstein’s sexual crimes. There are at least 5 other high profile politicians who are under suspicion.

    Keep your eye on high profile people who suddenly go down with CV.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And same comments for high profile California Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein who did the same thing for 5 times the amounts!

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Covfefe! Finally. This bad horror movie won’t last much longer. Full disclosure is coming. “Dad’ knows what he is doing.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You wish. The era of Trump is just beginning. His approval ratings have never been higher. With the electorate split, he will win again in the context of the Electoral College system, mixed in with some voter suppression (which COVID-19 restrictions will aid, by the way). Either of the two Democratic candidates left are lame duck old men who have no change of winning, especially after this pandemic. The United States will basically be unrecognizable in the post-COVID-19 world and 8 years of Trumpism. The rest of the world had better adjust. And if the money people here think that is good for Cayman, they are in for a rude awakening.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Trump is rapidly pissing off every Governor both Republican and Democrat and they are now speaking out. The reason is that every day Trump keeps talking about how everything is great regarding testing. The answer is that this simply is not true. Republican Governors today in Ohio and Maryland as well as Democrat Governors in New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Louisiana have again spoken out to say the tests are not coming. The situation is deteriorating health wise.

        Trump is bringing America down as the coronavirus moves rapidly across America. He says one thing while everyone else, except his fan club, know things are radically different.

        Get ready. We are in for very hard times ahead.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Happy talk every day from Trump while Rome (NYC) burns.

          They urgently need tests and medical equipment. How many doctors and nurses have to be interviewed in NYC hospitals before he gets the message?

        • Anonymous says:

          Obviously the 8 thumbs down are either poorly informed or don’t want to face reality. Yesterday the President said up to 240,000 deaths this month due to the virus in America. The is sad but it is reality.

      • Anonymous says:

        Just wait until the coronavirus fully hits the Republican states. Then the Trumpites will discover what New York State, New Jersey, Michigan and Washington have already discovered. The “stable genius” is a brilliant con man but the gig will soon be up.

        You can fool some of the people some of the time but coronavirus takes no prisoners.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Yeah, that voter suppression is really something. Imagine requiring an ID, citizenship and that you are actually still alive as conditions to vote…

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  21. Sucka Free Cayman says:

    I applaud the UK position I only hope other countries would adapt and organize the return of its nationals which is in the best interests of all concern.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    This can’t happen!!!! Please Governor and Alden, do not do this.

    We have come so far? The first day we announce, no more cases, we announce that we are bringing in people to start the process over again..

    We need to break curfew and surround the GAB keeping our 6′ distance and protest this…

    These people had every chance to come back before we closed our borders, it is very unfair of them to come back now after we are half way through our quarantine..

    Alden, everything you have done so far will be for naught if we take this chance..Please don’t do it, I beg you!

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  23. Anonymous says:

    I do not think our Govt would jeopardize all the efforts it has gone through with the permission for this BA flight to arrive here.

    It has been suggested that every passenger on that flight should be tested prior to boarding and then quarantined upon arrival. I think the Govt will ensure that all measures are put in place prior to arrival of this flight (which by the way is bringing supplies for the HSA). On another note there are persons who will be departing on that flight as well.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If you believe that and are interested I have some beachfront property for sale in Arizona that I am selling really cheap..Hit me up!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Except that is not what was said on the press conference. What was said was that they will be asked to self isolate, and the quarantine hotel would be available if they opt for it. And zero mention of pre testing, not that that would help with asymptomatic infected anyway. Remember that our patient zero was asymptomatic when he arrived here.

  24. Anonymous says:

    CNS can you let Alden know tomorrow that the people of Cayman is against this flight bringing any people from the UK, Caymanians or not…They had their opportunity. How are we going to flatten the curve if we keep letting flights come in from highly infected area..

    This is wrong on so many fronts..Doesn’t Alden realize that just trusting people to self isolate does not work? If they come here, they need to be locked down in a hotel like the students were…but how do we police that???

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    • Anonymous says:

      How do you police it? Pretty simple if they are confined to their hotel room as the 170 students are. The other 300 that came in before, not so much.

    • Anonymous says:

      We police it the same way we are doing now, with RCIPS Officers and other members of the security forces. I would think that those returning on that flight is well aware of the quarantine / isolation policy. Maybe we will need to utilise another empty hotel for them if there isn’t space at the current location.

      • Anonymous says:

        There is space, the last people in quarantine will be freed on Sunday.

      • Anonymous says:

        We police it the way we are doing now? You mean we just trust them? Haven’t heard the RCIPS are doing home visits to check people are in isolation- did you hear different? They have their hands full picking the curfew, keeping q’s at the stores orderly and people from cingrating at the beaches.

  25. Anonymous says:

    I have been in support of Alden up until this one..

    We have been working hard at this since shutting our borders down and now it will all have to start over again as we will be bringing possible infected people from one of the major epicenters of Europe.

    Cayman Islands begged BA to continue to fly even when Bahamas stopped them from flying there just to get all of the Caymanians home from the UK before we closed our borders. Those that are there now had every option and several flights to choose from but they decided to stay maybe selfishly thinking that they stood a better chance there than in Cayman. Now that they hear that the UK has become an infected cesspit they want to return home knowing that we have been fighting it by closing our borders, something the UK still has not done.

    I am trying my best here to not seem like I don’t care for my fellow Caymanians but we know damn well that once they get back here they will not do as they are told. Even now we are having people breaking the curfew. Unless these people are going to be in mandatory quarantine at the hotels like the students did, I am not in favor of this.

    What will happen a week from now when more want to come? Do we charter BA again? Can we risk this? Alden and Governor this needs to be thought through entirely before anyone gets on the plane.

    If the government wants to use Cayman Airways for flights to the countries like Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Dominion Republic to get those citizens to their home countries, that is fine with me as long as the only people on those return flights are the flight crews..

    Somehow, somewhere we have to draw a line in the sand…I hate to say it but Alden you will lose the strong support you have if you allow these people in without mandatory isolation in a hotel..not in their home.

    If we truly want to flatten the curve, this is not the way to do it!

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  26. Anonymous says:

    Will the government consider doing this for Caymanians in Canada or the US who want to come home?

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    • Anonymous says:

      No, their parents aren’t as important or as powerful as the parents with kids at uni in the UK.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Get your kids to London.
        Mine arrives on Saturday where they will hang out in a hotel ordering room service only.
        When they arrive in Cayman they are fully aware that they are going to one of the hotels for two weeks.
        I might get to wave at the bus.

      • Anonymous says:

        Sure are a lot of kids with important and powerful parents at Trinity College in Canada.

    • Anonymous says:

      It’s hard to imagine there could be families that didn’t appreciate the scale of global crisis by early March (lead stories in every news source), or the pace of hustle required to move before borders and airports published closings. Caymanians abroad had time which expired. A good teachable on real life consequences. Disorganized family/parents shouldn’t put this on CIG, or lobby for this to be the public’s general ledger cost. Get them to London and then on the BA flight. Don’t expect direct non-stop service from whatever planet you’re living on.

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      • Anonymous says:

        The whole reason is due to exams not yet being cancelled everywhere.
        My kid is on her way to London on Saturday assuming her county doesn’t close borders.

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  27. Anonymous says:

    I agree. Lots who were ‘self isolating’ went to grocery stores, drove to gas stations, banks & shops – just didn’t go into work!
    I know of 3 at least.

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  28. Anonymous says:

    Alden you are doing a good job but please make it mandatory that these people be put in a hotel. Do not take a chance

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  29. Anonymous says:

    Anyone coming back should stay on the plane for 14 days, it’s the only way to be sure they’ve truly isolated.

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  30. Anonymous says:

    We had a real chance to beat this virus, we were doing really well. Now with this flight and no mandatory quarantine, we are doomed. So shocked that GIG could allow this, it Is both saddening and disgusting.

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    • Anonymous says:

      What do you mean no mandatory quarantine? Returning travel households must isolate for 14 days by law, no exceptions. Breaches are very serious and should be reported, as discussed by DrLee in every press briefing!

      • Anonymous says:

        Yeah – very serious. And yet every day we see people taking the rules as optional extras – curfew breaches, parties on beaches, groups of people hitting the supermarkets instead of one shopper per household, no social distancing whilst they are doing it. We have had to impose hard and soft curfews because people don’t follow the rules unless forced, but somehow we can magically expect returnees to rigorously self isolate themselves and their entire family? If they are confined to the quarantine hotel there is no doubt that the rules are being followed, not just by them but by their families. But we are not prepared to make that a condition of return? Who exactly are these late returnees, I wonder?

  31. Anonymous says:

    They really need to make it a condition that you are isolated in one of the hotels

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  32. Anonymous says:

    Glad his government can still afford custom screened polos for every individual department. Austerity my ass

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  33. Anonymous says:

    “ “It would be beyond tragic if you came back and infected your family and friends… and killed off your grandmother, your aunt, your mother just because you selfishly didn’t want to”… stay in the UK, the sentence should end. To say nothing of risking every single person on the island.

    So a handful of people really want to come back, having not taken the opportunity when the airport was kept open for another 3 days, and now we are going to put every single person they come in contact with at the airport, their families at risk, and that’s IF they actually do self isolate. And what if they become symptomatic, like the other 2 people who returned and infected 2 members of their family. We are going to put the health workers that have to deal with them at risk too?

    We are so worried about virus possibly being transmitted that we lockdown the entire population, even those with no travel history or contact with people who have travelled, but we are going to fly in people from a country where the infection rate is skyrocketing and trust then to quarantine.

    At the very least make the hotel quarantine compulsory.

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  34. Anonymous says:

    Please don’t bring new potential virus spreaders here…..this place could be awesome with no virus and the borders closed.

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  35. Anonymous says:

    The Governor said that there would be no more passengers coming in. Only like doctors or medical technicians or other essential personnel”. These people need to be put in 14 day quarantine not self isolation.

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    • Anonymous says:

      That is not what he said at all. Why do you think they have a hotline in the UK for Caymanians wanting to return to book a seat on the flight if the inbound is limited to medical staff?

  36. Anonymous says:

    We must stop running to the rescue of others – charity begins at home. Dam I tired of these parasites.

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  37. Anonymous says:

    As far the others from the Caribbean area is concerned – I feel that Caribbean Airways should be responsible for their return to the their respective islands. Linking up with Caribbean Airways was a bad move on our part – never benefited us – now looks what we got. I hope we learn our lesson.

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  38. Anonymous says:

    Yuge mistake!!

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  39. Anonymous says:

    As a Caymanian, I am deeply embarrassed by the ineptitude of the Minister of Health who seems to be part of these proceedings simply because he is the Minister. He repeats what the sensible people…Alden, Governor, Lee…say then with an idiotic grin claims: “ atheists in Italy are now praying, that’s why I’m praying”. Are the older Bodden Town voters believing this wonderful Christian minister they have?

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  40. Anonymous says:

    We can’t afford to risk it. Keep the bridge closed to people!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Can’t help but agree.
      Chinese officials have reported symptoms not showing up until 27 days later(source:reuters). Every person is different.
      Are we willing to risk it?

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    • Anonymous says:

      we are bringing home a plane full of possible coronicirus

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  41. Anonymous says:

    I can understand why they are doing this and i hope it gets many people stuck here home. I just hope that anyone coming back to the Island is put in a hotel for quarantine as I don not trust everyone to self-quarantine in their own homes. Some people aren’t taking this seriously and are subsequently likely to spread the virus further into our community if allowed to quarantine on their own accord… Threats of fines do not deter the stupid.

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    • Virus-watcher says:

      I agree. It seems highly unlikely that all of the present members of a household will be willing to go into quarantine in company with the new arrival; BUT that is what will be required unless the arrival stays alone in one room, with his/her own bathroom and meals left outside the door.
      Does the average person realise this?

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    • Anonymous says:

      I was in Foster’s yesterday and even now, few seem to understand that there is a global health crisis; that they must, by law, remain 6 ft away from me and everyone else. Staff and added (doing nothing) rental security included! Resident COVIDiots seem determined to undermine all our efforts, either in this first wave or next.

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