-Another lockdown period comes into effect on Wednesday 8 April at 9 p.m. until Tuesday 14 April at 5 a.m.
-Until the new lockdown period (Wednesday 8 April 9.p.m), the 24-hour curfew will be observed.
-Upon the expiration of the new lockdown (Tuesday 14 April 5a.m.), the 24-hour curfew will continue.
-Lockdowns will occur every weekend starting 17 April – from 9pm Fridays to 5am Mondays.
-The lockdowns are being put into effect in an effort to combat spread by asymptomatic carriers. The Competent Authority may impose further lockdowns as necessary, based on medical advice.
-During the 24-hour curfew you may not leave your homes at all unless to buy essential items such as groceries, water, gas or pharmaceutical products.
-Essential workers are exempted and include those employed with government ministries, corporations or agencies, those essential workers of the various public utilities or other exempted workers as outlined in the Special Emergency Powers 2020.
-Under the 24-hour curfew exercise is allowed within your property or on the roadways in your immediate neighborhood.
-Under lockdown, you may not exercise beyond your property. You must stay at home.
-During the lockdown period, all services are closed, except for the following:
- All hospital in The Bahamas
- The Royal Bahamas Defence Force
- The Royal Bahamas Police Force
- The media
- Security services
- Hotels with guests
- Emergency units of core publicly and privately owned utilities, namely electricity, water, telecommunications
- A strictly limited number of exempted undertakings, such as international import/export trade
-For those with Covid-19 emergency and health-related questions, please call 511. Please have your NIB number available when you call this line.
-For those seeking general (non-emergency) information about Covid-19, please call 411.
-For all other health emergencies and life-threatening conditions, please call 911.
-The Royal Bahamas Police Force has a Covid-19 Command Centre number to call for shutdown and curfew-related inquiries. You are asked to call 311.
-Members of the public are strongly encouraged to wear non-medical masks in public.
-The Government is facilitating the production of washable and re-usable masks for the general public.
–Effective 6 April until further notice, a food shopping schedule is in effect.The schedule seeks to minimize physical exposure and interactions, allows all residents to take advantage of shopping hours before the lockdown which comes into effect on 8 April. Essential workers have also been accommodated under the shopping schedule.
The shopping schedule:
Adults with the last name beginning A through F will be allowed to enter food stores to shop on:
- Mondays: 6am to 12pm
- Wednesdays: 6am to 12 pm
- Thursdays: 1pm to 7pm
Adults with the last name beginning G through O will be allowed to enter food stores to shop on:
- Mondays: 1pm to 7pm
- Wednesdays: 1pm to 7pm
- Fridays: 6am to 12pm
Adults with the last name beginning P through Z will be allowed to enter food stores to shop on:
- Tuesdays: 1pm to 7pm
- Fridays: 1pm to 7pm
- Thursdays 6am to 12pm
Special provisions have been made for individuals 60 years of age and older and persons with disabilities.
Senior citizens and persons with disabilities may shop on Tuesdays from 6am to 12 pm; however, persons in these categories may also choose to shop on the day assigned to their last name.
Each household is reminded to have a designated shopper who will be required to carry official photo identification showing proof of last name.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING PROTOCOLS OF SIX FEET OR MORE ARE TO BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN PUBLIC.
-It is recommended that large businesses sanitize their premises before re-opening to the public. Sanitizing should also take place at frequent and regular intervals. This should include the cleaning of door handles, trolley handles, shelving, cash counters and glass door panels.
-Failure to comply with these requirements will lead to closure.
-The Royal Bahamas Defence Force is being mobilized to fortify the borders of the Family Islands. No incoming pleasure craft may dock at any port in the country. Protocols are being developed for pleasure craft and yachts with the aim of encouraging those already in Bahamian waters to return to their countries of origin for the duration of the pandemic.
-Residents of Bimini are advised to stay at home and indoors.
-While several empty cruise ships have been granted permission to seek temporary shelter in The Bahamas, protocols have been put in place outlining the conditions of their stay.These protocols outline medical, security and operational guidelines. These protocols may be rescinded by the government at any time.
-We are learning from fights against the pandemic around the world and applying those lessons to The Bahamas. The country’s best minds in public health are working hard behind the scenes to keep Bahamians and residents safe.
-Without the resources of larger countries we must focus on prevention.
–Until we get a vaccine, we must focus on prevention.
-The economic blow to the country will be enormous, there will be an increase in unemployment greater than many of us have seen in our lifetime. The government will take measures to help the poor, the vulnerable and those who are no longer working. Help will be made available to small, medium and larger businesses through a broad range of measures.
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Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Communication
House of Assembly
6 April 2020