PRIME Minister Andrew Holness yesterday announced a raft of new measures designed to stem further spread of the dreaded novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) but made it clear that it was not the Government’s intention to shut down the economy.

“We have to keep the economy going… we’re not shutting down operations. What we’re trying to do is to institute the measures that we believe will inure to greater practice of social distancing, which is what is now being recommended as the most effective way of controlling the spread of COVID-19,” Holness told journalists at a news conference after a meeting of the Cabinet at Jamaica House.

The measures, promulgated under Section 26 (2) of the Disaster Risk Management Act, requires all travellers to Jamaica from countries where there is local transmission of COVID-19 to be self-quarantined for up to 14 days.

Additionally:

* outpatient clinics at hospitals are to be scaled down;

* hospital visits are limited to one person per patient per day;

* there is to be no gathering in any public space by more than 20 people;

* bars, nightclubs, and other places of entertainment are to be closed;

* Jamaica Urban Transit Company and Montego Bay Metro buses will be required to carry seated passengers only; and

* taxis are required to carry one less passenger than their licence allows.

The prime minister also announced that, effective tomorrow, the Government will institute a new policy that will require all non-essential work be done from home in the public sector.

“We are going to be asking the permanent secretaries to examine all functions within their respective ministries, departments and agencies, and where they are considered to be non-essential that those be carried on at home or remotely,” Holness said.

“The same is required of the private sector. I happen to know that many firms have already started, now we are formally requiring it,” he added.

The measures, he explained, will be in effect for seven days, but will be reviewed on day five, after which the Government will make a determination whether there is need to escalate or continue.

“It is unlikely that we will discontinue, but we will determine whether or not we should escalate to other measures,” he said.

Markets, supermarkets, corner shops, and pharmacies are being treated as “essential for the continuation of life”, Holness said, and as such will remain open.

“Markets will be open from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm and we ask the vendors to pay close attention to the requirements of social distancing… for corner shops in particular, we ask that they respect the restriction — no gathering of more than 20, and if you have 20 persons, maintain the social distance of three to four feet from each other.

“The reason why we’re promulgating these measures under law is that the constable of police is now empowered by law to take action if it is observed that there is a gathering in excess of 20 persons,” the prime minister said.

The penalty for breaching the measures is a fine of $1 million or 12 months in prison.

Noting that the measure has particular consequences for funerals, Holness appealed to Jamaicans to limit the attendance at funerals as much as possible to close family members.

He acknowledged that doing so could prove a problem, but said, “given the circumstances, I’m appealing to you to be considerate of your family members and the general public”.

Adding that the same would apply to weddings, the prime minister said: “It really pains my heart to have to say this, but it is what is required in this period of time.”

Holness also announced that the Government has approved a US$2.2 million contract for the provision of protective gear and equipment — specifically 400,000 N5 masks — which, he said, should arrive in the island next week.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, who also addressed the news conference, related that 340 people have come into the island from a country where there was COVID-19 spread since January; there are 12 confirmed cases of the virus in Jamaica; 26 individuals are in quarantine in a Government facility; 43 are in home quarantine, and those do not include the residents of Bull Bay, the area under quarantine.