BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — There will be restrictions in movement for the upcoming Easter public holidays as the government continues efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, but the curfew will be reduced by an hour from Monday.

Under the new emergency management directive announced yesterday, from Sunday to April 11 the curfew will run from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am, instead of ending at 6:00 am.

Sundays remain closed to commercial activity and no one is to be out and about unless they are performing an essential service or have an emergency, including on Easter Sunday, April 4.

Additionally, on Good Friday, April 2 and Easter Monday, April 5, no one will be permitted to leave home between 5:00 am and 9:00 pm.

During the Easter Weekend, the exceptions on Sundays are bakeries for the baking of bread only between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, cleaning services, farms from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, gas stations for the sale of fuel and mobile phone top-ups between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, as well as fuel distributors, hotels and accommodation, pharmacies and tyre repair shops.

Churches must have no more than 75 people in-house and 25 for funerals, while weddings are permitted up to 20 guests.

Those businesses allowed to open from Monday through Saturday but must close by 6:00 pm on those days.

However, bars, gyms, dance and yoga studios, dojos and nightclubs remain closed. Pleasure craft and private boat charters, picnics, parties, banquets, bus crawls, limes and karaoke are also still prohibited.

Non-contact sports are allowed with the exception of squash and table tennis and no team sports are permitted.

Fast food restaurants can operate between Monday and Saturday for drive-thru or pick-up only. In-house dining can continue at restaurants, but with bars closed, alcoholic beverages can only be served with food. Physical distancing is be maintained in these places.

As currently pertains, beaches are open for exercise from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and parks from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, but no more than two persons shall exercise together, in which case there shall be a physical distance of at least six feet between them, unless they are members of the same household.

Barbadians have been warned that any person who contravenes the directives or fails to comply with the conditions is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of BDS$50,000 (US$25,000) or to imprisonment for a term of one year or to both.