Details of @GibraltarGov’s “Unlock the Rock” document being discussed now by CM @FabianPicardo & Director of Public Health @PHcritique live on @GBCTVGibraltar & on @RadioGibraltar Plus. We’ll post a summary of key points here too. 
Noting that today is #InternationalNursesDay, CM thanks all nurses working in Gibraltar for the work they've done in preparing for the challenges posed by #COVIDー19
"Unlock the Rock" has been published with all the details you need about the Government's lifting of restrictions on your movement.
gbc.gi/news/unlock-ro…
gbc.gi/news/unlock-ro…
CM says strategy is bespoke for Gibraltar and reflects the low prevalence of the virus here. There are still 4 active cases. For past 6 days we've been in single figures for active cases.
4352 tests carried out
3942 back
148 confirmed, 144 recovered
Just 4 active cases
Nobody in Covid wards or Nightingale facility
"Magnificent achievement". We need to beware of a second wave of cases, says CM. But says it's a great way to celebrate #InternationalNursesDay2020
3942 back
148 confirmed, 144 recovered
Just 4 active cases
Nobody in Covid wards or Nightingale facility
"Magnificent achievement". We need to beware of a second wave of cases, says CM. But says it's a great way to celebrate #InternationalNursesDay2020
Hoping to take "advisory" rather than "compulsory" posture as from Thursday 21st .
Will extend regulations for over 70s till then.
Advice will remain to stay at home if possible.
Will extend regulations for over 70s till then.
Advice will remain to stay at home if possible.
But given low number of infections, it does not seem proportional to continue restrictions on freedom of people's movement, says CM.
Regulations on freedom of association will remain. Gatherings will have to be smaller than 12.
Regulations on freedom of association will remain. Gatherings will have to be smaller than 12.
27,000 people have lost their lives in Spain in the 5 weeks since #Gibraltar locked down - that's equivalent to the whole adult population here.
In UK, 32,000 have died in 4 weeks - equivalent to the whole population on the Rock.
"That is the killer we face" says @FabianPicardo
In UK, 32,000 have died in 4 weeks - equivalent to the whole population on the Rock.
"That is the killer we face" says @FabianPicardo
Expresses solidarity with people of UK, Spain & Morocco, who have lost almost 200 lives to the virus. CM notes "each one of those is a life, not just a statistic", a family member, a friend.
We cannot lose sight of this now that we are easing restrictions, says @FabianPicardo
We cannot lose sight of this now that we are easing restrictions, says @FabianPicardo
Staying at home remains the safest course. Nobody who has died of this virus set out to get it.
CM asks people to read the document to become familiar with what is allowed & why gbc.gi/news/unlock-ro…
CM asks people to read the document to become familiar with what is allowed & why gbc.gi/news/unlock-ro…
Thanks all workers in law enforcement agencies for their work overseeing adherence to the new and changing regulations.
Thanks public health officials, the Opposition & all who have contributed to the plan for the coming weeks.
Thanks public health officials, the Opposition & all who have contributed to the plan for the coming weeks.
About the partial closure of roads as from June 1st, CM insists that now is the time to do so.
@FabianPicardo says he & @neill_bob have written to PM to ask that Gibraltar be exempted from the UK's planned quarantine for air travellers.
@FabianPicardo says he & @neill_bob have written to PM to ask that Gibraltar be exempted from the UK's planned quarantine for air travellers.
Department of Education has written to students about the third instalment of their maintenance grants.
Some will have no maintenance outgoings now, while others will have to pay rent.
Each student will be assessed & dealt with on a case by case basis.
Some will have no maintenance outgoings now, while others will have to pay rent.
Each student will be assessed & dealt with on a case by case basis.
About 1000 local students are currently studying in the UK, each will have received about £2,000. Of this £2 million, whatever is not required by students will be paid into the local Covid fund.
Bathing season will not start till mid June. Accessibility arrangements will be made for people with disabilities and those who care for them.
CM says there will NOT be lifeguards or beach buoys until mid June. Asks bathers & those using boats around beaches to be v careful.
CM says there will NOT be lifeguards or beach buoys until mid June. Asks bathers & those using boats around beaches to be v careful.
.@PHcritique says there is no evidence-based map to follow, compares the situation to a chess game, with many ways to win and many to lose.
Says plan is what officials think is going to work for #Gibraltar. Warns we cannot go to fast, hence the need to pause & reflect at times.
Says plan is what officials think is going to work for #Gibraltar. Warns we cannot go to fast, hence the need to pause & reflect at times.
"One thing we can be sure of is we contained the virus" says Dr Bhatti. But the cost was "horrendous", he says. "Many suffered from the isolation", hence the need to navigate our way out of lockdown.
Of the public health laboratory at @Uni_Gib, it will offer "testing at scale". Dr Bhatti wants to test 1-2% of our population everyday, 300 tests, with results back in about 4 hours.
Attention will be focused on frontline workers, says @PHcritique, as those most likely to be exposed to #COVIDー19.
Some groups (GHA, ERS) will be swabbed once a month. Other front liners once every 7 weeks.
This will tell #Gibraltar if we're going too far, too fast.
Some groups (GHA, ERS) will be swabbed once a month. Other front liners once every 7 weeks.
This will tell #Gibraltar if we're going too far, too fast.
Getting swabbed is civic duty, says Director of Public Health. If positive, you'll have to go home & self-isolate for 10 days. Members of your household will also have to self-isolate for 10 days.
Other contacts will be asked to do the same. There is therefore a need to observe social distance, to keep down the no. of people who need to self-isolate when someone is found to be covid-positive.
Contact tracing service will arise from 111 service. They will collate information from previous 48 hours.
Strategy means that as many as 25% will be in self-isolation at any one time. But that's the price to pay for ensuring 75% can live more freely, says Dr Bhatti.
Strategy means that as many as 25% will be in self-isolation at any one time. But that's the price to pay for ensuring 75% can live more freely, says Dr Bhatti.
Dr Bhatti thanks Dr Danny Cassaglia & Dr Nick Cortes for their hard, "heroic" work in helping their fellow Gibraltarians by getting enhanced testing services up & running.
By early May, about 3000 people had been tested in 60 days of lockdown. Going fwd, plan is 2000 per week
By early May, about 3000 people had been tested in 60 days of lockdown. Going fwd, plan is 2000 per week
Drive through facility will be expanded, says Dr Bhatti.
Antibody has been ordered. It is a blood test. Will shine light on how many ppl have had #COVIDー19.
In "brave new world" we will learn to live with virus. We'll monitor temperatures, masks will be used more...
Antibody has been ordered. It is a blood test. Will shine light on how many ppl have had #COVIDー19.
In "brave new world" we will learn to live with virus. We'll monitor temperatures, masks will be used more...
... in enclosed spaces, there will be rigorous testing & the antibody. We should not "live in fear" in this "brave new world" says @PHcritique.
Gibraltar has bought itself time, as well as antivirals & "tremendous capacity" in the hospitals now.
Gibraltar has bought itself time, as well as antivirals & "tremendous capacity" in the hospitals now.
Dr Bhatti says it has been the honour of his life to help #Gibraltar in recent weeks, "I'm just the son of a Pakistani bus driver & a nurse".
He's not going anywhere, mind you. "This is just the first part of the journey." We will need to work with each other & be brave, he says
He's not going anywhere, mind you. "This is just the first part of the journey." We will need to work with each other & be brave, he says
In answer to GBC question, CM says Spain's official notice wrt movement of people does not apply to Gibraltar as it does not cover cross-frontier workers. Owing to Spain's lockdown, you can only cross into La Linea if you're a resident there or are working in specific industries
CM says bespoke arrangements will be made for each sector in #Gibraltar. Documentation will be issued for each. Rules for restaurants will be different to those for gyms. That flexibility will be important, says @FabianPicardo.
Summary / "quick release guide" of "Unlock the Rock" document will be published.
CM says #Gibraltar has been v careful not to create any barriers to flow at frontier.
Scanners at frontier give moving image of ppl's temperatures. "No reports of anyone being denied entry"
CM says #Gibraltar has been v careful not to create any barriers to flow at frontier.
Scanners at frontier give moving image of ppl's temperatures. "No reports of anyone being denied entry"
Dr Bhatti says according to 2015 data, 6500 adults in Gibraltar are obese, "a considerable portion of the population". We're not seeing these ppl shouldn't go out, we're saying they need to take precautions, he says. It's a good incentive to lose some weight & gain some freedom.
CM says he started dealing with this pandemic with a BMI of 27, now at 32.
Lockdown has not done me any good, says @FabianPicardo. "I'm now going to make sure I take myself out of the risk category" says CM by saying no to biscuits & taking to his treadmill more often.
Lockdown has not done me any good, says @FabianPicardo. "I'm now going to make sure I take myself out of the risk category" says CM by saying no to biscuits & taking to his treadmill more often.
Line Wall Road is full of people, says CM. People move to & from work, from Main Street to Commonwealth Park. Reducing pollution there will benefit all those in the area. Pollution flows.
We want to leave behind a better Gibraltar, a greener Gib, a more child-friendly city.
We want to leave behind a better Gibraltar, a greener Gib, a more child-friendly city.
"The time has come to wake up & smell the coffee. It's about time that we realise that we need to fix our planet ourselves" says @FabianPicardo.
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Is "wearing masks in some situations & not others" confusing public health advice, GBC asks.
Dr Bhatti says evidence is tilting in favour of using masks in an internal environment, but not externally.
Using masks outdoors is unnecessary & signals fear. We shouldn't fear virus
Dr Bhatti says evidence is tilting in favour of using masks in an internal environment, but not externally.
Using masks outdoors is unnecessary & signals fear. We shouldn't fear virus
CM says "Unlock the Rock" specifies some situations in which using masks is advised & others in which masks must be used.
If someone thinks they want to wear a mask outside, or a cover for their face, they can.
Business permits will carry requirement for masks as necessary.
If someone thinks they want to wear a mask outside, or a cover for their face, they can.
Business permits will carry requirement for masks as necessary.
Students who've stayed in UK can request to keep their maintenance grants.
This is about fairness, says CM. Social justice requires us to talk to students individually, understand their story & decide whether they should keep maintenance grant.
Many proactively returning £
This is about fairness, says CM. Social justice requires us to talk to students individually, understand their story & decide whether they should keep maintenance grant.
Many proactively returning £
Dr Bhatti: deciding whether to move to the next phases of lockdown will be determined by the spread of the virus.
With 10 active cases, random chance means it's just as likely to back to 0 as it is to go 20. But once it goes to 20, evidence is 20 will likely lead to "surge".
With 10 active cases, random chance means it's just as likely to back to 0 as it is to go 20. But once it goes to 20, evidence is 20 will likely lead to "surge".
"The world will always remain a dangerous place" says Dr Bhatti.
Every morning CM receives "situation report". This will continue.
So far we have dealt with a cluster rather than a wave, says CM. Isolating future clusters will hopefully prevent need for another lockdown.
Every morning CM receives "situation report". This will continue.
So far we have dealt with a cluster rather than a wave, says CM. Isolating future clusters will hopefully prevent need for another lockdown.
Identifying specific clusters will allow targeted responses, says CM.
Gibraltar is small enough to use specific levers to control the spread of this virus.
We will always resist going to a general lockdown, says @FabianPicardo, provided there's a more proportional response.
Gibraltar is small enough to use specific levers to control the spread of this virus.
We will always resist going to a general lockdown, says @FabianPicardo, provided there's a more proportional response.
.@PHcritique still believes that everyone in #Gibraltar will get this virus. "We are not over it, it's still out there, spreading."
Previous pandemics show there can be waves of viruses.
We have not had any deaths, he observes. If fear has helped people protects themselves...
Previous pandemics show there can be waves of viruses.
We have not had any deaths, he observes. If fear has helped people protects themselves...
... every life is valuable to us, he says, "a golden resource".
Asked if he scaremongers, Dr Bhatti says "it would be difficult to apologise for not having any deaths".
The Campo has sadly seen 33 deaths.
#Gibraltar has managed to protect our most vulnerable.
Asked if he scaremongers, Dr Bhatti says "it would be difficult to apologise for not having any deaths".
The Campo has sadly seen 33 deaths.
#Gibraltar has managed to protect our most vulnerable.
.@FabianPicardo thanks @PHcritique for how he dealt with the #COVIDー19 threat in early stages & helping @GibraltarGov understand what virus could do in #Gibraltar if it didn't take steps.
Without his advice & influence, govt wouldn't have been able to make necessary changes.
Without his advice & influence, govt wouldn't have been able to make necessary changes.
Belgium has had more deaths per million than anywhere else. Equivalent would be 22 deaths in #Gibraltar.
Spain's equivalent death rate here would be in high teens.
Spain's equivalent death rate here would be in high teens.
Unfortunately, we have lost a Gibraltarian to the virus away from the Rock.
When we thought we'd lost a Gibraltarian to the virus locally, "I was very disappointed" says CM. "My aim is to keep a clean sheet".
So far we've done it, "so, a big thank you to Dr Bhatti" from CM.
When we thought we'd lost a Gibraltarian to the virus locally, "I was very disappointed" says CM. "My aim is to keep a clean sheet".
So far we've done it, "so, a big thank you to Dr Bhatti" from CM.
Re antibody test, a lot of work still needs to be done. Hopes to have it ready before the autumn, says @PHcritique.
CM says the government is proud of the "Unlock the Rock" document. Asks ppl to read it: gbc.gi/news/unlock-ro…
Abridged version to follow.
CM says the government is proud of the "Unlock the Rock" document. Asks ppl to read it: gbc.gi/news/unlock-ro…
Abridged version to follow.
