- Curfew In Effect
Monday to Friday: 9pm to 5am curfew effective Monday 9 November for the islands of New Providence and Paradise Island (including Rose Island) and Abaco (excluding Green Turtle Cay, Grand Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay).
WEEKEND: Saturday – Sunday 6pm to 5am: curfew effective Monday 9 November for the islands of New Providence and Paradise Island (including Rose Island) and Abaco (excluding Green Turtle Cay, Grand Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay).
GRAND BAHAMA: DAILY 9PM to 5AM
The public is reminded to practice the following COVID-19 prevention guidelines:
- Wear a face mask when you leave your home.
- Practice social distancing, at least 6ft from others.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and if soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol.
- Cover your cough or sneeze in your inner elbow or with a tissue.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as phones, remote controls, counters, doorknobs, and keyboards.
Emergency Powers:
- For complete COVID order refer to: Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (No. 12) Order, 2020
- Eleuthera & Exuma
- COVID-19 Bahamas
Click on the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Report for daily updates on the number of new cases, testing stats, hospitalizations and recoveries:
Download Report #239
- Travel Guidelines
Travel Protocols
Learn more about The Bahamas' latest travel and safety protocols. Visit www.bahamas.com/tourism-reopening-faq for more information.
Travel Guidelines
Latest Travel Amendment: Emergency Powers (Covid-19 Pandemic) (No.11)(Amendment) Order 2020
Read Full Travel Guidelines
- Wear A Mask
Requirement to Wear A Face Mask
Every person who leaves his residence shall, while away from their residence, wear a face mask which fits securely to their face, covering their nose and mouth.
Any person not wearing a face mask in accordance with the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (No. 12) Order, 2020 is liable to a fine of $250 or one month imprisonment or both.
To access full Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (No. 12) Order, 2020:
Read Full Emergency Powers- Worship Services
- Weddings & Funerals
- Exercise
Exercise
Permitted MONDAY to FRIDAYwithin immediate neighborhood between 5am and 9pm..
SATURDAY and SUNDAY 5am – 6pm in immediate neighborhood.
(Applicable to New Providence and Abaco)- Stay At Home
- Guidelines & Business Operations
MONDAY to FRIDAY on New Providence and Abaco businesses may operate between 6AM to 8PM in accordance with provisions and guidelines outlined in the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (No. 12) Order, 2020.
Business and social activities remain unchanged on Acklins, Andros, Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Chub Cay, Crooked Island, Elbow Cay, Inagua, Mayaguana, Grand Bahama, Grand Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, Long Cay, Long Island, Man-O-War Cay, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Spanish Wells with physical distancing and mask wearing protocols.
Public and Private Transport
Taxis, private and public bus services may operate at 50% occupancy, subject to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Tourism and approved by the Ministry of Health.
Beauty Salons and Barbershops
Permitted to operated MONDAY to FRIDAY 6AM – 8PM and SATURDAY 6am - 5pm.
Subject to certification by the Ministry of Health and strict adherence to mask wearing, physical distancing and sanitization protocols. Occupancy limited to one patron per service provider.
Work Remotely From Home
All businesses and offices may continue their business operations by allowing their employees to work remotely from home, unless identified as an essential worker in the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (No. 12) Order, 2020.
Applicable to New Providence (including Rose Island) and Paradise Island and Abaco (excluding Green Turtle Cay, Grand Cay, Man-O-War Cay and Elbow Cay)Construction
Monday to Friday between 6am and 6pm and Saturday between 6am and 5pm
Sunday Construction company may apply to the Competent Authority for permission to operate. Email primeminister@bahamas.gov.bs
- Stay Safe Bahamas
- Prohibited Businesses and Activites
The following businesses and activities are prohibited to operate or be held:
- A casino, bar, discotheque, cinema, museum, historical society and other cultural or entertainment facility.
- A regatta, festival, fair, play, performance art and other cultural or entertainment event. A Cook-out, steak-out or souse-out.
- A spa or gym.
- A craft or straw market vendor and a jet-ski operator.
- Social gatherings of any size are prohibited in a private residence or facility except for weddings and funerals as permitted in the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (No. 12) Order, 2020.
Beaches and Parks
- Education
Schools permitted to operate virtually on New Providence and Abaco. Teachers permitted to attend premises to conduct virtual learning. Schools or preschools permitted to operate in accordance with the Emergency Order subject to physical distancing, mask wearing and sanitisation protocols.
- In Case You Missed It
Effective Thursday 12 November on mainland Exuma:
- 24-hour weekend curfew starting Fridays at 6pm and ending Mondays at 5am
- During the weekend curfew, business operations not allowed.
- Weekday curfew (Mon. – Fri.) 6pm to 5am.
- During the week, commercial activity may continue as normal, except fish frys, bars, and restaurants connected to bars will be closed.
- Private and public social gatherings prohibited.
- Funeral services permitted at the graveside only. Limited to 10 people, not including the officiant and caretakers.
- Weddings limited to 10 people, not including officiant.
- Repasts and receptions prohibited for weddings and funerals.
- Church services may take place virtually only. A maximum of 10 people may provide live streaming services from the sanctuary.
- In-person classroom instruction prohibited but instruction may take place virtually.
- Domestic travel by air or sea vessels prohibited in to and out of Exuma, except in an emergency and where approved by the Director of Civil Aviation or the Chairman of the Bahamas Maritime Authority.
- Anyone traveling from Exuma to any other island in The Bahamas required to have a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result to leave Exuma – except where exemptions are provided for in the Emergency Powers Order.
- Team of contact tracers and members of the surveillance unit will be deployed to Exuma this coming Friday for further assessment.
- All positive cases on Eleuthera are in isolation and their contacts are in quarantine and are being closely monitored.
- Re-implementation of 14-day quarantine requirement for travelers from New Providence to the Family Islands will be in place for a short period of time. It is anticipated it will be lifted once the domestic health screening survey is implemented.
- Weekday (Mon-Fri) curfew on New Providence and Abaco moved to 9pm to 5am, effective Monday 9 November.
- 24-hour weekend curfew has been lifted on New Providence and Abaco.
- Curfew on Saturdays and Sundays moved to 6pm to 5am on New Providence and Abaco.
- Retail operations, including pharmacies, on New Providence and Abaco, may resume in-store services Monday to Saturday.
- Food stores may also open on Saturday.
- Outdoor dining may resume at restaurants on New Providence and Abaco, Monday to Saturday. This includes fish frys.
- On Sundays, drive-thru and take-away services only permitted at restaurants.
- Indoor dinning permitted at hotels.
- Beaches and parks open Saturdays and Sundays 5am – 6pm on New Providence and Abaco.
- On Grand Bahama, daily curfew (Monday to Sunday) moved to 9pm to 5am.
- Because of the rise in COVID-19 cases on Eleuthera, effective Monday 9 November, a 6pm to 5am weekday curfew will be implemented on mainland Eleuthera (not including Spanish Wells and Harbour Island).
- Also, on mainland Eleuthera:
- A 24-hour weekend curfew will take effect Fridays at 6pm to Mondays at 5am.
- All bars, and restaurants connected to bars will be closed.
- Indoor church services will not be permitted.
- In person classroom instruction of students will not be permitted.
- Funerals allowed at graveside only with a maximum of 10 people, not including officiant and caretakers. Repasts prohibited.
- Weddings limited to 10 people, excluding officiant. Receptions prohibited.
- All private and public social gatherings prohibited.
- Additional police resources have been deployed to Eleuthera to assist with enforcement of Emergency Powers Order.
- Of the recently announced $250 million earmarked for small business development over 5 years, a minimum of $25 million will be set aside for entrepreneurship geared toward Bahamian youth and toward women.
- No injuries or incidents reported so far as a result of impact of Tropical Storm Eta. Preliminary reports are of flooding, high winds, gusty condition, sea swells and some fallen trees. The Glass Window Bridge in Eleuthera has been closed due to sea surge.