Darville says closed borders not on the table
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Adjustments could be rolled out in the coming days with respect to large social gatherings and tighter border control, according to Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville.
He said while it remains a challenge to balance the economy and public health and safety, discussions have been geared toward adjusting current measures.
The emergency orders, which included a nightly curfew, fell away on November 13, paving the way for a new set of COVID-19 rules enacted into legislation.
While these largely mirror the existing measures that were in place under the public state of emergency, restrictions and the strict requirements of capped social gatherings fell away, though the Ministry of Health must approve larger social events, as seen with the Christmas carnival, which was denied to operate.
Darville indicated that amid the threat of the omicron variant, a more transmissible variant of COVID-19, the ministry has been in high-level discussions on adjusting measures to “deal with issues at our borders”.
Asked if the public could expect further adjustments of protocols that restrict movement and in-person gatherings, the minister did not rule them out.
“Well, we are looking at many things,” he said.
“As you realize, rules are very fluid and they will change based on how the Ministry of Health sees the potential spread in the country.
“But we are going to be making some adjustments very shortly and when that happens, we will definitely be able to place the rules and have them gazetted so everyone will be able to see exactly what is required, particularly at our borders.”
As he addressed several recent large social events, including a Christmas party that attracted hundreds, the minister noted it is challenging to balance the economy and adjust protocols to ensure the protection of the citizenry.
Rules are very fluid and they will change based on how the Ministry of Health sees the potential spread in the country.
– Minister of Health & Wellness Dr Michael Darville
But Darville made clear that there is no intention at this time to close The Bahamas’ borders.
The Bahamas continues to observe double-digit cases on a daily basis, though that figure has increased from around 20 per day to 40-plus.
It remains to be seen if the trend will be sustained and if it is an indication of the onset of a fourth wave of the virus — a concern among health professionals and the government alike.
This week, as omicron became the dominant strain in the United States, the CDC moved The Bahamas to a Level 2 travel advisory list — a feat Darville attributed to the strategies, planning and work of numerous government ministries.
He said: “We’re concerned because the omicron virus is roaming wild [in] many countries where our tourists come from and when we look at the state of Florida, we see the cases are going up there. We are concerned.”
