Thread by @AndrewHolnessJM

#Thread
Covid-19 Update:

Effective Thursday, June 24, 2021, we will modify the existing Order to phase in new measures for places of worship and cinemas. Instead of the current limit of 50 persons, it will now be capacity based.

The maximum number of persons physically present will be determined as 70% of the capacity which is calculated based on 1 person for every 40 sq. ft. of the designated worship area. All existing protocols, including, temperature checks, sanitization, & mask wearing must continue.

Indoor theatres and cinemas will be allowed to open with the same size-based capacity limitation - One person for every 40 square feet or 70% of seated capacity, whichever is lower.

For drive-in cinemas, the existing capacity limitation on the number of vehicles will be replaced with the requirement that the maximum number of persons in any vehicle should not exceed the number permitted to be in the vehicle under the registration.

For vehicles that are registered to carry more than 7 persons, the maximum allowed will be 8 persons. A vehicle designed to accommodate no more than 15 persons shall be the largest permitted.

Theatres, indoor and drive-in cinemas must all strictly adhere to the established protocols.

Effective July 1, 2021, the curfew will begin at 11 p.m. on Monday to Saturday and at 6 p.m. on Sunday, and end at 5 a.m. the next morning until August 11, 2021.

The existing protocols including the requirement for all travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test conducted within three days of travel remain in place, as does the requirement to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival for persons who are not fully vaccinated.

For fully vaccinated persons (which means the person has received both doses of a two-dose vaccine or the single dose of a one-dose vaccine and at least two weeks have elapsed since receiving the last dose), the quarantine period will remain at 8 days.

As of July 1, fully vaccinated persons now have the option of taking an approved PCR test (at own cost) and upon presentation of negative results they can be released from the Quarantine Order.

Stay at home for Persons of Specified Age

The age limit for the stay-at-home measure remains at 60 until August 10, 2021. However, persons who are fully vaccinated have been exempted from this.

Work from Home

The existing work from home directive in the public sector is being extended until August 10, 2021. Only persons who work in critical service delivery & perform job functions that require them to be at the physical location should be required to be at the office.

For the private sector, we continue to encourage employers to allow all persons who can work from home to do so.

Funeral Services and Burials

Effective July 1, 2021, funeral services will be allowed with a maximum of 30 persons present inside the church, other place of worship or funeral home. This maximum limit of 30 persons includes mourners as well as clergy and any support personnel.

For burials, we are increasing the maximum number of persons who may be present at the graveside from 15 to 30. This includes mourners as well as officiating clergy, grave diggers and undertakers. As a reminder, burials will be allowed Mondays to Fridays.

Having heard the pleas of stakeholders, which includes undertakers, bereaved family & loved ones, there will be an extension in the burial time. As of July 1, 2021 burials can be done between 9 a.m. & 5 p.m. The time for conducting burials continues to be limited to 30 minutes.

Markets

For markets and vending in public arcades and public transportation centres, operating hours will continue to be from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays.
Markets remain closed on Sundays.

Beaches, rivers, zoos, water parks and attractions will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday to Saturday and, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday given the change in curfew hours.

Parks, gyms & bars are subject to the existing restrictions & protocols & must close at least 1hour before the start of curfew.

Amusement arcades that cater to young persons have been closed; a decision has been taken to allow them to re-open under protocols to protect children

Events and Entertainment

In crafting the approach to events and entertainment, we have paid careful attention to reducing and mitigating the risk on the one hand, while optimizing the social and economic benefits of a phased resumption on the other.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, working with industry practitioners, have developed the protocols to facilitate this.

At this stage, we are contemplating two categories of events:

1.Small events with no more than 100 persons in total (including organizers and support personnel); and

2.Large events.

Small events will generally include outdoor concerts, parties, round robins, festivals, community events, corporate mixers, handing-over or groundbreaking ceremonies, and other events of this nature.

Organizers of small events may make applications for permits as they normally would through their local authorities who will work with them to ensure protocols are in place for a safe event.

Municipal Corporations have agreed to reduce the cost for permits & licenses by 50%.

A small event outdoors may have up to 100 persons.
Indoor events (those held in a covered area with controlled entry), have a cap on the number of persons who can attend...

This is determined as 60 percent of useable square footage (not including bathroom or kitchen) divided by 40 square feet, or 100 persons, whichever is lower.

For public sector events, such as handing over, or groundbreaking, we have decided to maintain the maximum number at 50.

Organizers of large events will go through an additional layer of approval. Organizers of the large events must first send an application to the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport. The Ministry will review the application to see that it meets the requirements.

Once the Ministry is satisfied, it will forward the application to the ODPEM. ODPEM will consult MOHW, the municipal corporation & any other relevant authorities, and if they are satisfied, the application for event to be held at a specified place and time will be approved.

Large events would include stage shows, church conventions, conferences or crusades and related activities.

The distinction between small and large events is not based on the nature of the event but on the maximum number of persons allowed to be present...

For example, a wedding with less than 100 persons in total would be a small event while one with more than 100 persons would need to follow the application and approval process for a large event.

The same applies to general or special meetings of companies, co-operative societies, friendly societies or industrial or provident societies.

The Government will not mandate, as part of the protocols for approval of events, that persons attending be vaccinated or tested. However, if private event holders wish to include such requirements to market their events, they would be free to do so.

To provide support to the sector in restarting, we are prepared to offer certain government-owned venues to the organizers of large entertainment events rent-free. Organizers would only be required to cover the operating costs such as utilities and security costs.

The list of venues so far includes:

Facilities under the management of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport including the National Stadium complex and the Trelawny Stadium, Fort Rocky and Fort Charles, Seville and the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre...

...Facilities under the management of the Port Authority of Jamaica including the Falmouth Pier and the Port Royal Pier.

We are also negotiating with the local authorities and the private sector to see how we can provide subsidies for the use of other venues across the country as a stimulus for the entertainment industry.

The entertainment, culture and creative industries represent a key part of our competitive advantage and are vital to our economic recovery and long-term growth prospects. The industry has the potential to emerge from the crisis stronger and better than before.

We want the industry to achieve its full potential but this potential is inhibited because a large sector of the industry is informal and unregulated.
Entertainment is business and we must begin to treat it as a legitimate economic enterprise.

We also need to look at how we can use legislation and policy to incentivize the reset of the entertainment industry.

I have tasked the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to commence discussions on how we can support the industry to realize growth and employment.

The Entertainment, Culture and Creative Industries must become an important item on the national development agenda.

To signal the reopening of the entertainment sector as well as to demonstrate how a large event could be hosted with the proper protocols, the Government will be organizing a Concert on July 1, 2021 at the Port Royal Cruise Terminal.

This will be a fitting way to recognize and celebrate International Reggae Day. Further details will be announced by Minister Grange.

I want every Jamaican to understand that the recrafted measures that we have announced are to enable many persons who have not had an income for several months to finally get a chance to return to work and start providing for their families.

The risks of a third wave remain ever present. Whether or not it materializes is up to all of us. If we all take personal responsibility to observe the infection prevention and control protocols that have been proven to work, we will avoid it.

It has now been over 15 months since the pandemic began. We have a lot more information on how the virus spreads and the protocols that are effective in reducing spread.

Let us therefore not view the new measures as a free-for-all. Let us commit to being responsible and diligent so that in the process of trying to preserve the livelihoods of so many who have not been able to earn a living since the pandemic began, we do not endanger lives.

In trying to preserve the entertainment sector, let us not jeopardize the reopening of our schools in September. The stakes are high and this is a risk we are all taking together as a country.

Success is up to every one of us.