The Emergency powers SRO 19 of 2021 which came into effect on Monday 3rd August has been adjusted for this weekend to be for the country to be in total loackdown beginning from 6:00PM Friday evening to 5:00AM on Monday morning.
This is according to Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit who addressed the nation on Friday evening.
He said that the cluster of cases which he informed the nation of continues to grow. Presently, there are 103 positive cases of Covid-19 on island and 90% of the 103 cases are unvaccinated individuals. Further, 29 individuals out of 407 have received positive Antigen tests results and testing continues. The individuals are being held at the Government’s quarantine facility while they await PCR testing.
The Prime minister said that while some people are following the protocols, most people fail to comply.
He said, “We remind all residents to remain vigilant and adhere to the COVID-19 protocols. The Government cannot contain the spread of this disease all by itself. Every resident must cooperate and act responsibly”.
Hon. Skerrit stressed that the curfew is an Absolute curfew and only essential workers such as nurses, doctors, police and fire officers, airport and seaport workers, people seeking urgent medical attention, persons seeking Covid-19 tests and persons traveling in and out of the country will be allowed on the road.
“In short, everywhere will be closed this weekend except the government heatlh facilities and the air and sea ports.”
Covid-19 testing will continue over the weekend.
The testing locations are as follows:
Windsor Park Sports Stadium on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30Am to 2:00 PM.
Mahaut Health Center on Saturday from 9:30AM.
Morne Prosper Health Center on Saturday from 1:00PM
Pointe Mitchel Health Center on Sunday from 9:00AM to 1:00PM
Campbell Health Center on Sunday from 9:00AM to 1:00PM
Wotten Waven/Trafalgar Health Center on Sunday from 9:30 AM to 1:00PM
The Prime Minister said, “We regret that we have had to take this additional measure of the complete lockdown on this weekend. We also gave careful consideration to the timing of the announcement having received the recommendation from the health officials this morning. This virus has no respect of age, class, gender or political and religious affiliations. It is our duty to ensure that our people particularly the vulnerable are protected”.
He added, “I wish to remind us again how we got to this point. We as a country, let our guard down. Some people came in illegally, we dropped our guard with the parties, the fetes and limes, too many of us have not been wearing our masks and too many of us are not vaccinated”.
He concluded, “Let us accept what has transpired and move forward understanding the role of each of us in containing what has been a very deadly virus across the world including the Caribbean. One death would be too many for us in Dominica”.
The Prime Minister reminded all Dominicans to stay home unless they are getting tested and to get vaccinated.
