NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams encouraged residents to continue to follow the practiced methods that mitigate COVID, noting “its too soon” to stop wearing masks.
Williams noted the removal of the requirement to wear masks in certain settings in The Bahamas has spurred enthusiasm that the policy could soon be done away altogether.
Following the Centers for Disease and Prevention and Control’s (CDC) recommendation that facial masks were no longer necessary in low risk states, The Bahamas removed the requirement to wear masks in casinos, lobbies and corridors of resorts, and while in an outdoor setting once social distancing is maintained.
Outside of hotels, masks are still required in nearly all indoor settings.
“I think we should continue wearing the masks given the environment and where we are,” she told Eyewitness News.
“If your walking and doing exercise, you know, you don’t need to wear your mask.
“That’s in a open area.
“But in a group setting you should wear your mask and use precautions.”
Asked if The Bahamas could expand the areas where a facial mask is no longer required, Williams said: “That’s too soon.
“We just have to wait. I don’t think it’s been six months since we’ve been; since the numbers have been down and so forth. It’s only been a couple of months.
“So, we need to just watch slowly and that’s what I think the government is doing.”
Noting that the government has incrementally eased restrictions in recent weeks, particularly related to social gatherings, Williams said it ought not remove measures that have proven to mitigate the virus before assessing the impact of the latest health guidelines.
The allowance for social gatherings was recently increased from 100 to 300 outdoors, though concerts, regattas and other events of this nature still require approval from the Ministry of Health.
While The Bahamas continues to record low, single-digit cases, Williams said the prospect of another surge in The Bahamas is daunting for healthcare professionals.
Nurses have been under strain at health institutions, a situation that has been severely compounded during the pandemic and its series of waves that have peaked hospitalizations.
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