By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis has accused the Minnis administration of failing to provide leadership or a plan to protect the country as newer strains of COVID-19 affect public health.

Following Health Minister Renward Wells’ announcement on Friday of the reintroduction of harsher restrictions in New Providence, Grand Bahama, North and Central Eleuthera beginning today at 5am, Mr Davis said the measures will not stop the spread of the virus.

The restrictions include tighter curfew hours, limitations on social gatherings and changes to travel guidelines.

“With cases, hospitalisations and deaths rising, Minnis sends out his inept Minister of Health to announce a mess of disruptive new Emergency Orders that micromanage Bahamians’ lives but will not stop the spread of the virus,” Mr Davis said in a statement released over the weekend.

“The new rules restricting private gatherings to five persons ‘provided that guests are vaccinated’ has been met with ridicule and disbelief from the public. Amidst a rising wave of robberies and murders, will the police be going door-to-door to count hands and check vaccination status?

“If a neighbour visits a family of five, that gathering violates the latest Emergency Orders, even though all of them would be permitted to go to the gym together. No one thinks that makes any sense – and that’s only the start of the contradictions.

“It’s the worst of all worlds: heavy-handed rules which hurt Bahamians without stopping the transmission of the virus. Children cannot swim or play basketball outside, but they can go to a movie inside”

Mr Davis said Dr Minnis has failed to secure enough vaccines and to expand testing to “stay ahead of outbreaks”.

A day before the new restrictions were announced, 110 additional cases of COVID-19 were recorded while one more virus-related death was recorded on Friday.

Meanwhile, 100 cases were recorded on Friday along with deaths of a 66-year-old and 44-year-old New Providence men.

Two hundred and eighty-two people have now died from the virus and 14,057 cases have been confirmed to date, 1,351 of which are still active.

Ninety-three people were hospitalised as of July 22, 11 of whom are in the intensive care unit.

On Friday, Mr Wells lamented the uptick in both virus-related cases, hospitalisations and deaths as “concerning”, saying the influx of infections has placed a great strain on the nation’s healthcare system.

Noting that COVID-19 preventative measures are meant to protect and not harm, Mr Wells announced the reimposition of a number of former restrictions, which he said came based on the recommendations of health officials.

Beginning Monday at 5am, Mr Wells said the curfew on New Providence, Grand Bahama, North and South Eleuthera – including Harbour Island – will go back to 10pm to 5am.

Individuals travelling from those islands are also required to undergo a RT-PCR test. However, the rule will not apply to fully vaccinated people.

On New Providence and Grand Bahama, church services will be limited to one hour and only allowed at 33 percent capacity.

Funeral or cremation services are not allowed but graveside services will be permitted with a maximum of 30 people. This excludes the officiant and funeral workers at those services. No funeral repasts are permitted, however.

Weddings are allowed indoors and outdoors, but not exceeding 30 people.

Mr Wells added: “As regards to restaurants, dining is restricted to outdoor and takeaways services, and it is encouraged that there be no loitering of groups outside restaurants or at fish fries. These restrictions, however, do not apply to hotel properties.”

“No spas will be opened. This includes massages, waxing, threading and facials. For all islands of The Bahamas, private gatherings will be restricted to five persons provided that the individuals are vaccinated.”

Mr Wells also announced limitations for campaigning activities, saying all team members must be fully vaccinated and are limited to groups of five.

“I know you have COVID fatigue,” Mr Wells told Bahamians. “You are tired of wearing a mask, not hugging a close family member or friend and staying home to prevent contracting the virus. However, we must remain disciplined. This global pandemic is not over as cases continue to rise globally and nationally.”

Mr Wells said proof that the pandemic is far from over can be seen in the rise of COVID-19 deaths and hospitalisations.

According to the health minister, hospital admissions in this third wave have been notably higher than what was seen in previous waves. He reiterated that most people in hospital have not been fully vaccinated against the virus.

He also renewed appeals for people to collect stored bodies at Princess Margaret Hospital’s morgue, saying the facility has reached beyond its capacity.

“The Rand Laboratory commonly referred to as ‘the morgue’ at PMH can house some 73 deceased persons,” Mr Wells said at Friday’s press conference. “However, today it holds 225 bodies. That is three times its capacity. Although two refrigerated containers are holding demised bodies outside the morgue, PMH no longer has space.”

“…The public is advised that if the deceased bodies are not claimed promptly, the Government reserves the right to take legal action to remove and intern the unclaimed bodies to provide space for those who have recently passed away,” he added.

Meanwhile, for her part, Chief Medical Officer Dr Pearl McMillan called for a stricter adherence to public health measures and warned that giving recommendations for full COVID-19 lockdowns are not off the table.

“Certainly, we deliberate every week where we are and full lockdowns are always a consideration of recommendation if we believe that will be the way and the only way to get our hands around what we are in but there are also considerations around full lockdowns as it relates to where our country is,” Dr McMillan said. “But we monitor these things on a daily basis, and we have ad hoc EOCs and should that be necessary we will make further recommendations if that means a lockdown, we will have to do it.”

However, it is not clear if the recent spike of cases will cause government officials to reconsider extending the emergency orders which are set to end August 13.

Asked if health officials recommend the government to extend it, Dr McMillan said: “Should the EOC be tasked with that consideration we will make an appropriate recommendation.”