The Disaster Risk Management Act ends but the pandemic continues
“Curfews will come to an end,” says Prime Minister Andrew Holness. The Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) was withdrawn, and all measures related to COVID-19 are now cancelled as of 18 March 2022.
The pandemic is still present. Holness said “risks still remain for the vulnerable population” and as such he brought up the Public Health Act. This Act reads that if anyone has COVID-19 they should isolate, labs should protect the identity of those who are doing testing for the virus, people should continue sanitizing and wearing masks in public spaces which involves close interactions like in supermarkets and bank will remain in effect until 15 April 2022. Masks will not be no longer be mandatory but it is suggested that masks be worn in restaurants and any places that handle food. All COVID-19 tests for travellers will be cancelled but they will be required to do a pre-test three days before travel.
The entertainment industries are free to have events with a permit and 70 per cent capacity at their locations. “Staying out late only if it is a must and ensuring your safety and security,” said Holness. Mixed in all this, Holness charged all ministers that attended Shenseea’s album launch Alpha to pay $100,000 under the DRMA after breaching protocols of not wearing masks.
James Charity (not his real name) a resident of May Pen, said “ordinary people can’t even keep a party without hiding the location but [the ministers] attend one without wearing masks.”
Another May Pen resident, Kevin Tomlin, said, “All we do is sit and watch and then criticize. Does anyone stop to think that the reason why they were there is because they are gradually opening the entertainment sector.” Tomlin continued, “Why did they allow the event to go ahead knowing the backlash it would have?”
“We are not declaring an end to the pandemic, there are still outbreaks happening all over the world,” said Holness.
A recent news item noted that the pandemic was not over. It reported that China was still being plagued by the virus, with up to 37 million people in lockdown as the outbreak grew and businesses, like factories, shut their doors. The report also noted that Pfizers antivirus pill was being used to help treatment. The continents of Europe and Asia were said to be leading in number of cases. India had started to vaccinate 12 to 14-year-olds with the Pfizer vaccine.
