Inter-Island Communications News Brief – June 2, 2021

No new cases of COVID-19 and the vaccination deployment program has crossed the 70 thousand dose mark.

This from the daily COVID-19 update where a Government spokesperson shared that quote, “The Ministry of Health received 1145 test results since the last update, and none were positive for COVID-19. This gives a test positivity rate of 0.0%. Additionally, there was one [1] recovery and no deaths. There are currently 19 active cases, of which 18 are under public health monitoring and one in the hospital, with none in intensive care. The seven-day average of our real-time reproduction number is .27. Bermuda’s current WHO country status remains “Community Transmission”. With respect to the Vaccination Campaign, we have completed the twentieth full week of vaccinations. Since January 11th Bermuda has administered a total of 70,731 vaccinations – a figure that rises to 71,114 if you include vaccinations on Sunday May 30th and Monday May 31st as well! To date, 58.3% of the population has been vaccinated [1 dose], and 52.1% of the population has been immunized [2 doses].”

The national recovery and re-opening process will hit a new milestone this Sunday, as we transition to Phase 3.

A Government spokesperson confirmed we’ll be entering phase 3 on June 6th, based on the successful mitigation and completion of the recent COVID-19 outbreak and underlined some of the key public health regulation changes. Including but not limited to quote ” The night-time curfew will be changed to 12am to 5am. Retail businesses and grocery stores can open with no limitations on capacity. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs and sports/members clubs can open for table seated, indoor service as well as seated bar service. Table service is restricted to a maximum of 10 persons per table, and tables must be spaced 6ft apart. Weddings, funerals, and domestic partnerships are allowed for indoor and outdoor ceremonies with a maximum of 50 people. Wakes and receptions are allowed up to a maximum of 50 people. Masks must be worn. Religious Services can resume indoor services. The maximum gathering size does not apply, provided public health measures are applied. Congregations must wear masks at all times; officiants and choirs must wear masks if unable to maintain 6ft physical distance.”

Bermudians seeking employment are receiving an increased level of focus and support, while the partners of work permit holders will generally not be approved to work while on island.

This from a Government spokesperson who shared that quote, “The Ministry of Labour is collaborating with the Department of Workforce Development and the Department of Immigration to appeal to unemployed Bermudians who are qualified and skilled in various Restricted and Closed Work Permit Job Categories to submit their resumes to the Department of Workforce Development. This will enable DWD to update its unemployment database and assist persons in being re-employed. Submitted resumes will be cross-referenced against employer work permit renewals. Additionally, data from this initiative will be used to determine the composition of closed and restricted job categories beyond 31st July 2021. Notably, the economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly contracted the Bermuda job market. Accordingly, the Ministry of Labour is advising the general public that through the Department of Immigration, permissions to seek employment for ‘partners’ will generally not be approved at this time. ‘Partners’ are persons in a relationship who are not legally married, nor are they in a legal domestic partnership or other legal arrangement.”

The Bermuda Road Safety Council (BRSC) is urging the community to stay alert today to remain alive tomorrow.

The BRSC acknowledged the recent passing of 16 year old Amber Bridges, sharing their condolences to her family and loved ones while sharing a release explaining their focus for the month of June, saying quote “We chose this topic as a means to educate the motoring public on the dangers of sleep deprived driving, which is operating a motor vehicle while being cognitively impaired due to a lack of sleep or being in control of a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. In other words, “driving under the influence”. Sleep deprived driving and driving while under the influence are similar in that they both affect your driving ability. Your reaction time, alertness and attentiveness are diminished, along with your agility. In order to prevent this from happening, we ask all motorists that are driving or operating a vehicle, to ensure that you have an adequate amount of sleep, avoid driving during peak sleeping periods; if possible, and if you plan to consume alcohol, always have a plan to get home safely. Staying alert and being attentive are two very key elements to safe driving.”

The Bermuda Commercial Bank (BCB) has demonstrated their commitment to the community, donating 15 thousand dollars to three charities – specifically The Eliza Dolittle Society, Women’s Resource Centre and Centre Against Abuse all received $5,000 apiece. The BCB CEO Hubert Esperon shared that this is the second donation of this size to these organizations since the start of the pandemic explaining that quote “We acknowledge the increased incidence of food insecurity and domestic abuse that has been exacerbated by the pandemic and have focused our giving in those areas, as part of BCB’s corporate social responsibility to this community.”

Eliza Dolittle Society Executive Director Clare Mello expressed gratitude for the donation, saying that there are many people on island using their food pantry, adding that quote “The face of food insecurity includes family members, neighbors and work colleagues who previously had stable incomes and have now lost jobs or had their hours cut back. Families are faced with choosing between food and other essentials such as utilities, medical care and rent. TEDS is continuously seeking ways to better serve our clients, to help reduce the stress they are experiencing and to alleviate this growing issue in Bermuda. Thanks to the generous support of BCB, TEDS can put food on the table for those who need it most.”