Masks Compulsory And Lockdown Exit Plan Revealed 

Support bubbles will be allowed in certain circumstances, and some people who can work alone can return to work from tomorrow (11 February)  Masks will be mandatory from this Saturday.

Non-essential businesses that can operate with just one member of staff who does not have physical contact with anyone else can return to work on Thursday.

Support bubbles will also be permitted - but only in some situations, including households with children under the age of one, single parent households and lone adult carers.

The easing of restrictions have been announced at the latest States of Guernsey Covid-19 press briefing.

The Civil Contingencies Authority has published an 'Exit from lockdown framework'.

It sets out a three-staged approach, which is not expected to begin until Thursday 18 February at the earliest.

Face coverings will become compulsory for everyone over the age of 12 in indoor public spaces such as shops from this weekend (Saturday 13 February), including on public transport.  They remain strongly recommended for outdoor settings.  

Deputy Heidi Soulsby, Vice-President of the Policy & Resources Committee and advisor to the CCA has outlined what the easing of restrictions for lone workers means:

"For those who work in indoor trades, this means that lone workers may return to offices, workshops or other premises. This may make it possible, for example, for non-essential retailers to fulfil and deliver or dispatch orders received online as long as they can undertake work without any contact with other individuals, whether colleagues, customers or clients.

For those who work in outdoor trades, this means that lone workers may return to property and building maintenance, gardening and horticulture, and fishing or other maritime trades as long as they can undertake work without any contact with other individuals, whether colleagues, customers or clients."

CCA chairman Deputy Peter Ferbrache says the immediate changes to lockdown are about getting people back to work where their activity poses little or no risk to Covid-19 transmission.

Support bubbles will only apply where: 

- Where there is only one adult (this includes households with one adult living alone or one adult and any children under the age of 18);
- Where there is only one adult carer (this means households where this is one adult carer and anyone else living within the household has a disability and requires continuous care);
- Where there is a child under one, regardless of how many other adults are in the household;
- Where there is a child under 5 with a disability that requires continuous care (regardless of how many other adults are in the household); or
- Where an individual needs to move to another household to support their physical and mental wellbeing.

The reintroduction of any two households being able to form a bubble is expected to follow when Guernsey enters Stage 1 of the new lockdown exit strategy.

It will also allow small gatherings outside of no more than 5 people and non-public facing work places able to operate with up to 10 members of staff in outdoor sites and 5 staff in indoor sites.

The move to stage 1 remains under regular review by the CCA.

Guernsey has 336 (known) active cases of Covid-19.

There have been 8 new cases found in the last day and 28 people have recovered.

Eight patients with the infection are in hospital including two care home residents who are not receiving medical treatment for the virus.

Dr Nicola Brink has confirmed a second member of staff at a second care home has tested positive.