NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health announced further relaxations of the COVID-19 protocols that would see an adjustment of mask requirements and an increase in number of attendees allowed at outdoor social gatherings.
In a statement outlining the changes to the measures, the ministry said it remains cautiously optimistic about the country’s progress in the fight against COVID-19.
The latest changes to the Health Services Rules, which came into effect in November after the end of the state of emergency and emergency orders, permits individuals to host or attend social gathering indoors at a private residence or a facility with 75 percent occupancy.
Outdoor gatherings will be permitted with no more than 300 attendees.
All attendees must either be fully vaccinated or present a valid negative COVID-19 test result and adhere to COVID-19 protocols in both circumstances.
The ministry indicated, however, that certain events will still be subject to approval from the Ministry of Health Emergency Operations Committee, including concerts, fetes, fairs, Junkanoo or carnival parades (inclusive of practice rallies).
The penalty for breaking these rules is a $2,000 fine for the host and a $300 fine for an attendee.
The ministry also shifted its social distancing requirement protocols to no less than three feet of distance between people who are not from the same household.
For businesses, customers and staff must maintain physical distancing between themselves and others of not less than three feet while inside or awaiting entry outside the business, and there must be distance markers three feet apart, indicating where each customer is to stand on a line awaiting entry or checkout.
The new rules also stipulate that restaurants must ensure seating is arranged so there is spacing of at least three feet between each dining party.
The eased restrictions also include a new mask mandate that limits the requirement of face masks in certain places.
“A person is not required to wear a face mask while in a lobby, corridor or casino of a hotel or while in an outdoor setting where there are at least three feet of space between persons who are not of the same household,” it read.
“Disabled persons or persons with specified medical conditions are not required to wear a mask, provided such persons have in their possession a medical certificate or letter signed by a medical practitioner proving the existence of such disability or medical condition.”
Business establishments are required to ensure employees are wearing faces masks and are required to deny entry to any person not wearing a face mask or not wearing a face mask in the proper manner.
Individuals found in contravention of the rules will be liable to a $250 fine, one month in prison or both.
Last week, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis signaled the move to ease COVID-19 restrictions and announced that restrictions on recitals, regattas, in-person conferences, seminars or workshops and drive-thru cookouts will be relaxed and will no longer require submissions for review and approval by the health advisory committee.
He advised of the removal of the requirement for cruise ships to present a passenger and crew manifest disclosing vaccination status and the reduction of testing requirements for day-five post-travel.
Additionally, residential care establishments are now able to set their own parameters for visitors; and salons, barbershops and spas will be allowed to operate at 50 percent of the seating capacity.
Davis noted that the changes come as the country sees vastly reduced numbers of infections and hospitalizations.
The Bahamas has confirmed 33,194 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. There were just three cases confirmed on New Providence on Friday, with 103 cases still active and 14 people in hospital.
As of March 12, there were 162,973 people fully vaccinated in The Bahamas, including Bahamians and residents who were fully vaccinated abroad and registered with the ministry.
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