[Updated with full speech] Premier David Burt will be delivering a National Address at 8.00pm this evening [April 25] entitled “Moving Beyond The Pandemic,” and you can tune in and watch it live.
“I will be giving a National Address highlighting where we have been and where we are currently in our battle against the coronavirus,” the Premier said via Twitter. “I will also outline the Government’s plan to move Bermuda beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Update: A few extracts are below
Flights
With immediate effect:
- no flight originating in Brazil, India or South Africa will be landed in Bermuda;
- any arriving passenger who has travelled to those countries within the previous 14 days will be mandatorily quarantined for 14 days subject to electronic monitoring to ensure compliance.
Changes Effective May 2nd
As of Sunday, May 2, all nonimmunised travelers entering Bermuda will be required to quarantine for 4 days, pending a negative Day 4 test. This is in line with the current policy for travellers arriving from the United Kingdom.
50% Had One Dose
I am pleased to announce that more than 50% of our population has received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine which is an excellent milestone.
Changes Effective June 6th
Therefore, effective June 6th, the following changes will come into effect:
- The time period for a pre-test required for visitors to obtain a travel authorisation will move from 5 days to 3 days in line with the global standard.
- All non-immunised travellers entering Bermuda will be subject to supervised quarantine for 14 days in a designated facility at their own expense.
- All immunised travellers entering Bermuda, with a negative pre-test, will not be required to quarantine after their negative arrival test, but they will still be required to test on day 4, 8 and 14.
- Immunised residents entering Bermuda without a negative pre-test will be required to quarantine until their day 4 negative test result.
There will be appropriate exceptions from supervised quarantine for minors and the medically vulnerable. All other persons will be required to enter supervised quarantine so that we can protect our island from the introduction of new variants.
This change in policy is significant, but the Government has determined that it is the best way to prevent us from repeating the experience of these past few months.
Possible Changes In Phases:
Following the 7 day Stay at Home Order, this past Tuesday we commenced Phase 1 of 3 on our Roadmap to Reopening. This current phase, when combined with 7 day stay at home order, will be for a total of four weeks. If the data allows, it is envisioned Phase 2 can commence on Sunday May 9th, Mother’s Day.
Phase 2 will see the end of restrictions on household mixing, as well as reopening of schools, leisure facilities, churches, gyms, outdoor dining and limited personal care services. Due to our desire to eliminate local transmission, there will be continued restrictions on activities, gathering sizes and a curfew will remain in place during this time. The Government will continue to provide financial support to businesses and individuals who are directly affected by the restrictions.
Provided that we are successful in continuing to reduce local transmission, and all of the data metrics allow, after four weeks in Phase 2 we would be able to progress to Phase 3 on June 6th. This will permit the reopening of all other businesses which were not opened in the previous phase. A determination on the need to continue the curfew and other restrictions such as gathering sizes will be based on the data at that time. June 6th will also be the date that the 14 day supervised quarantine for all non-immunised travellers comes into place.
If all goes well following the commencement of Phase 3, and we are successful in eliminating local case transmission through compliance with restrictions and increased vaccinations, the Public Health emergency will be allowed to expire on June 24. But the end of the Public Health Emergency in Bermuda is up to all of us as a community.
Update | You can see the graphics shown in the video here.
Update 8.28pm: Premier Burt’s National Address follows below [PDF here]
