KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced seven no movement days as part of the new measures to fight the rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.

He was speaking at a press conference a short while ago.

The new measures come as the more transmissible Delta variant of the virus was on Wednesday confirmed to be present in the country.

“We have to prevent further transmission and the most effective way of slowing down transmission is to have a complete halt at a point. Stop movement. That’s what it comes down to simply,” Holness said.

The no-movement days announced by the prime minister are Sunday, August 22; Monday, August 23; Tuesday, August 24; Sunday, August 29; Monday, August 30; Tuesday, August 31; and Sunday, September 5.

Holness said that outside of the no-movement days the nightly curfew will begin at 7:00 pm and end at 5:00 am the next day, except on Saturdays when the curfew begins at 6:00 pm.

He noted, however, that to facilitate the implementation of the new measures, the curfew will be extended on Friday, August 20 and Saturday, August 21.

On Friday, August 20, the curfew will begin at 9:00 pm while on Saturday, August 21, the curfew will begin at 8:00 pm.

The prime minister added that workplaces will be required to close at midday on Friday, August 20 and on Friday, August 27 to help the public prepare for the new lockdown measures.

This will, however, exclude the Courts, security services, financial services, transportation services, health services, the National Water Commission, Jamaica Public Service, gas stations, fire stations, food services, and other relevant services.