Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared several sweeping measures geared at addressing the spiralling outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases across Jamaica. 

Holness, speaking at press briefing on Sunday (February 28), said the new measures effective March 1, will remain in effect for the next three weeks, pending a review of the amendments come Monday, March 22. 

The measures are as follows: 

• Effective Thursday, March 4, all visitors and returning Jamaicans will be required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test not older than 72 hours.
• Nightly curfew remains unchanged, running from 8:00 pm – 5:00 am with exceptions to essential services.
• Zoos, parks, gyms, attractions and bars must close at 6:00 pm daily. 
• Persons older than the age of 60 must stay home at all times.
• For public schools, only students that will be sitting exit exams (i.e. grades six, 11, 12, and 13) are permitted to have face-to-face instruction. Private schools are recommended to adhere to the same protocols.
• A hard work from home order is to be strictly enforced. The work from home order applies to workers in the public sector. Only critical services requiring in person will be permitted from office. While not mandated, private sector interests are “encouraged” to have staff work from home. Additionally, where an employee has a comorbidity or provides care to loved ones, these individuals, where requested, should be allowed to work from home. 
• The public gathering restrictions remains unchanged at a 10-person limit.
• All in-person social events (including groundbreakings) are banned.
• Effective Monday, March 8, funerals and burials are strictly prohibited until March 22. To this end, PM Andrew Holness and Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie say an appeal will be made to funeral homes to waive or reduce storage fees for bodies given the ban on funerals and burials from March 8 to 22.
• Online services only for church. Only 10 church members will be allowed within church premises to manage IT infrastructure.
• Weddings are still permitted. However, the limit has been halved from 50 to 25 persons.
• All public beaches are closed.

Jamaica confirmed 446 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the island’s cumulative total to 23,263. The country has recorded 422 coronavirus-related deaths, while struggling to manage 9,209 active cases.

Some 13,410 patients have fully recovered from the infectious disease.