NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday the government was “racing against the clock” to curtail the spread of COVID- 19 to Family Islands as travel and other activities pick up for the Easter holiday weekend.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, the prime minister explained that the stricter travel protocols were imposed because the nation must “stay ahead of COVID” as certain islands experience an uptick in cases, which threatens to split the government’s and health officials’ efforts.
In an amendment to the emergency orders, travelers from Harbour Island and Eleuthera must now take an RT-PCR test to travel to other islands in the country.
They are also required to take a rapid antigen test on the fifth day after their arrival, in line with current standard protocols for travelers arriving in-country from international destinations.
Prior to this latest update, the requirement only applied to people traveling from New Providence, Grand Bahama, and Abaco to other Family Islands.
“Remember we sent down a team in Eleuthera and Harbour island, understand,” Minnis said.
“So, if you detect it. We are now racing against the clock, so you are trying to vaccinate as many or all in Eleuthera and Harbour Island, so as to stay ahead of COVID.
“Now this being a Holiday, a lot of people will travel to New Providence and the Family Islands, which means they will carry COVID through the Family Islands and we will have an outbreak in the Family Islands.
“So, to avoid that problem we require a test, same as Nassau where we have cases; the same as Grand Bahama where we have cases; and same as Abaco where we have cases.
Asked if the additional testing requirement will be a long-term measure, the prime minister said it is not intended to be, but the government cannot allow cases to spread to the various Family Islands.
“[We] are trying to protect the Family Islands and [avoid] further spread to New Providence and wherever individuals travel,” Minnis said.
[It is] the same as Nassau. If you leave Nassau, you have to do a COVID test because we have cases here.
“To leave Grand Bahama you have to do a COVID test because we have cases there; to leave Abaco you have to do a COVID test.
War
According to the prime minister, the strategy to fight COVID-19 in the country has continued to isolate its spread, and mitigate against the spread of new infections.
“If you watch war movies or if you read war books by generals on how they fight wars they would tell you that you always try to consolidate your enemy in one or two spots and you fight them there,” he said.
“But if your enemy is able to split your war machine to fight seven, eight battlefronts you will lose the war.
“So basically, the same principle. You’re trying to contain the COVID in those designated islands where you know you can stay in front of it and win the battle, as opposed to it spreading out and then you catching up.
“If you have to catch up, then you lose the battle and at present, we are in front of it, and we are trying to stay in front of it.
“That’s why they placed Harbour Island, Eleuthera,and Grand Bahama; you’ll notice that they were aggressively vaccinating those areas.
“So, what you’re trying to do is block the spread from reaching the community and traversing the community.”
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