As of Thursday 19 March, anyone travelling into the Bailiwick of Guernsey will be required to self-isolate and emergency powers have been enacted to enforce testing, isolation and/or detention of those who don’t comply.
Self-isolation will apply to all individuals entering the Bailiwick regardless of whether they have symptoms and where they have travelled from.
Announced at a press conference on Tuesday, the new measure includes travel by any means, including privately owned or chartered vessels, and applies to travel between the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey.
It does not, however, apply to travel within the Bailiwick of Guernsey, or to people who fill ‘critical roles’ in the running of the island.
‘These new measures today, along with the advice that all non-essential travel should cease, will help slow the spread of Covid-19 in our community. Everyone has a personal responsibility to take these new measures seriously and self-isolate if required,’ said Deputy Gavin St Pier, President of the Policy & Resources Committee and Chair of the Civil Contingencies Authority (CCA)
The CAA has granted new powers the Director of Public Health, Dr Nicola Brink, her deputy and others authorised by her to, where necessary, enforce the testing, isolation and/or detention of those who travel to the Bailiwick.
‘Many islanders have readily followed the guidance provided by Public Health and self-isolated where appropriate, in line with the official advice. But there are exceptions and if we really want to slow the spread of coronavirus, we must introduce these powers,’ said Deputy St Pier.
‘We will be ready to use these powers to enforce self-isolation if required. This will help ensure everyone entering the Bailiwick self-isolates, and that we identify anyone who may have the virus already. I hope Islanders will welcome these measures as firm steps to protect their health and especially the health of the most vulnerable in our community.’
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Travel advice for the Bailiwick is now as follows:
- No non-essential travel. Those undertaking essential travel (i.e. for medical care in the UK) will be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return. Only ‘critical’ travellers will not be required to self-isolate. Guidance on ‘essential’ and ‘critical’ travel will be issued.
- Businesses or individuals who are expecting visitors should advise those visitors not to come unless their role is included on the exempted list of critical roles. Anyone who goes against this advice and travels into the Bailiwick will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. This requirement will be enforceable under emergency powers.
- Any individual leaving the island for essential reasons must take into account the requirement which will be upon them to self-isolate on their return as well as the risk of falling ill outside the island and the treatment that may or may not be available at that time in the location in which they find themselves.
- Students: In view of the rapidly changing environment across the world including the closure of many institutions, potentially for an extended period, we would encourage students and their parents to consider returning to the island sooner rather than later, even if this requires a period of self-isolation. If any student is symptomatic before their return they should contact their student health service or Public Health Services in Guernsey.