Safe Zone rollout on October 11

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Safe zones for the fully vaccinated, a one-hour reduction to the curfew and in-person classes for vaccinated students from October 4, were among the easing of restrictions announced by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at a media conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, yesterday.

The Prime Minister announced that from October 11, fully vaccinated people will be allowed to participate in several activites, including in-house dining and going to cinemas, gyms and casinos.

He also announced that from September 27, the start time of the curfew will be pushed back to 10 pm. The Prime Minister also said that by mid-October, depending on the vaccination numbers, the Government may look at lifting restrictions on beaches.

“This is a huge step we are taking today…huge,” Rowley said.

He said with the instances of the Delta variant in the population, the Government was still looking at the gradual lifting of restrictions.

“We are accepting that we have to live with the virus. We living with the virus with a vaccination programme and hoping for co-operation from the population,” he said.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young was also present at the conference to detail the process. He said that the in-house offerings would be limited to 50 per cent capacity.

“We are looking at the introduction and roll-out of TT Safe Zones, which is available to fully vaccinated people. The details are as follows and they are going to be applicable, all things remaining equal, from October 11. Cinemas and theatres, casinos and betting shops, bars and restaurants, gyms and fitness centres, studios, to fully vaccinated persons over the age of 12,” Young said.

“So, of course, it now applies to those who are fully vaccinated.”

He added, “In these safe zones that I have just categorised, owners of these safe zones are required to make sure that all of the employees operating in these safe zones, all of their employees, are fully vaccinated.

“They are also required to have proof of the vaccination of all of the employees operating in the safe zone on the premises.”

The patrons, Young said, must also have the vaccination cards on them as proof of their vaccination status “to provide it to the enforcement officers.”

“At this time, we are looking at the enforcement officers being the Police Service and public health officers,” he said.

Young said that the owners of the establishments will be held responsible for ensuring their employees are vaccinated.

“They are going to be required to ensure the persons patronising their establishments, their customers, are also fully vaccinated,” he said.

Young said that the details with regards to the law were still being worked out, as they will include an increase in the fines for breaking the safe zone rules to assist in getting full compliance.

Rowley said that the rule model being used in a pandemic is already in use and has been implemented successfully in several countries.

With regards to the curfew reduction from Monday, Rowley said that more changes could be made depending on how the population behaved.

“As we look at the response of the population in the face of all these changes, we would want to take it a bit further if the circumstances warrant and, of course, the State of Emergency is with us,” he said.

“We start cautiously on Monday,” he said.

“Our national policy has been to let the population make that decision, persuaded by gentle law enforcement. If you don’t believe me, just look at the Caricom region, look at what other Caricom regions are having to face.”

Rowley said that some of his Caricom colleagues have taken “draconian” and “dictatorial measures” by T&T standards.

He said that the imposition of harsher measures for unvaccinated people around the world is seen as bullying and interpreted as “taking away rights.”

“I see it being interpreted as standing between man and God and taking away your license to walk into heaven. All of that I have seen,” Rowley said.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said that the enforcement and cross-checking of immunisation cards by those using the in-house facilities would catch any fake cards in circulation.

Rowley, warned however, that the falsification of a government document was illegal and those caught in such acts would face significant penalties. He urged citizens not to engage in the activity of producing and using fake vaccination cards to access the safe zone plan when it gets going.

Young said that there would also be an increase in fines for those using fake cards and said that the Government was looking at digitising the vaccine cards.