Jamaica goes into weekend lockdowns amid spiralling COVID outbreak
Gavin Riley / Our Today
administrator
In an effort to curtail mass movement islandwide, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced three weekend lockdowns, with the first initiating on Saturday, March 27 through to Monday, March 29.
Addressing a virtual press conference at Jamaica House on Sunday (March 21), Holness explained that, after Cabinet deliberations – including a seven-hour marathon meeting ahead of the press briefing – the new measures were settled on for implementation in tackling the rising COVID-19 caseload and the resulting strain placed on the public health sector due to ballooning hospitalisations.
“Two weeks ago, we had announced some tightening of measures and had indicated that, if there was no significant improvement in our case numbers and hospitalisations, we would have to tighten further. I had also indicated this in my Budget presentation last Thursday,” he said.
For a breakdown of the amended curfew protocols, see table below:
| Date | Curfew Hours |
| March 23-26 | 8:00 pm to 5:00 am* (Workplaces and non-essential businesses must close at 12:00 pm on March 26th) |
| March 27 | 12:00 pm, throughout rest of day |
| March 28 | All day |
| March 29 | Weekend curfew ends at 5:00 am, nightly restrictions resume at 8:00 pm to 5:00 am |
| March 30-31 | 8:00 pm to 5:00 am |
| April 1 | 8:00 pm to 5:00 am (Workplaces and non-essential businesses must close at 12:00 pm) |
| April 2 | All day |
| April 3 | 12:00 pm, throughout rest of day |
| April 4-5 | All day |
| April 6-9 | 8:00 pm to 5:00 am* (Workplaces and non-essential businesses must close at 12:00 pm on April 9) |
| April 10 | 12:00 pm throughout rest of day |
| April 11 | All day |
| April 12 | 8:00 pm to 5:00 am |
Despite the lockdown restrictions, national vaccination sites will remain open and continue operations. However, persons slated for inoculation must present evidence of their appointment via email or text confirmation to members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
Holness further noted that persons are also allowed to seek urgent medical attention. Individuals who have made travel arrangements to enter or leave Jamaica may still proceed to respective airports.
Additionally, the existing protocols including the requirement for all travellers to present a negative COVID-19 test conducted within three days of travel has been extended to June 30. The 14-day self-quarantine period, however, still applies.
Direct flights from the UK, which were banned, will be extended to April 13.
Travellers from the UK coming through other countries will be required to test on arrival and await the test results in state quarantine at their own cost.
If the test is negative, they will be required to complete the rest of their 14-day quarantine period at home. If the test is positive, they will remain isolated until they recover.
In the meantime, the public gathering limit stands unchanged at 10 persons until April 13.
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