09 April 2020
COVID-19 Public Update
Our next daily update will be on Monday 13 April
KEMH UPDATE
The results of the next set of test swabs taken in the Falkland Islands should be known early next week.
The samples will be sent on the next northbound Airbridge, scheduled to leave on Sunday and then transferred to a laboratory for processing.
There remain five confirmed COVID-19 cases, all individuals currently serving at Mount Pleasant Complex.
One of these individuals continues to receive care at KEMH while a second was discharged from the hospital earlier this week.
The other three individuals are in isolation at the Base as part of the ongoing MPC arrangements for dealing with possible cases.
137 samples in total have been tested so far in the UK. 131 have been tested as negative. The remaining six swabs were from the five individuals who have now tested positive for COVID-19.
MPC ROAD TRAVEL AND ARRIVAL OF FIRS
BFSAI and RFIP have worked together over the last 24 hours to understand journeys between MPC and Stanley.
Monitoring will continue over the coming days and weeks.
Please only travel between the two locations if absolutely necessary; we ask the public for their support in this.
FIG is also currently exploring the introduction of a process so that essential travellers are specifically authorised, this will support efforts already in place by BFSAI. Further details will come forward in due course.
The Airbridge is scheduled to arrive Friday 10 April - all arriving passengers will be quarantined in accordance with existing BFSAI arrangements. No arriving personnel will be accommodated at Hillside.
Meanwhile the FIRS is scheduled to arrive on Sunday 12 April.
BFSAI and FIG have jointly agreed that no vehicles will be permitted to be examined by the Biosecurity Team for a minimum of 72 hours after they are offloaded in line with guidance; this is to afford protection to all involved.
This means that no vehicles are to be collected until all relevant inspections have been undertaken and the vehicle has been officially released.
The Biosecurity Team thank for your understanding and patience. The FIG Veterinary Service has also reviewed arrangements so that all animal movements are managed as safely as possible, affording staff with appropriate protection.
OUR NEXT STEPS
The Chief Executive, Barry Rowland has outlined how the Falkland Islands Government will be proceeding in response to COVID-19 in coming days. This is a summary of his comments:
On 20 March 2020 we took action under our infectious diseases plan. We did this because we were not able to test for COVID-19 on the Falkland Islands, air links with the UK were disrupted, and a number of individuals had been identified with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. In the face of potential small clusters of cases emerging in Stanley we took steps to protect the community.
On 26 March 2020, we took further action. At that time, we had still not received test results from the UK. We had clusters of individuals presenting with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. As a result, we took the decision to close schools and nurseries, and to ask people to reduce all non-essential activities. This was the right thing to do.
Since then we have received test results for all of those in the apparent clusters. All were negative for COVID-19.
At this stage in accordance with our infectious diseases plan, we were therefore considering easing some but not all restrictions, so that some could get back to work, until such time as the circumstances changed again. Since then we have had the news of five positive tests for COVID-19, all involving those serving at Mount Pleasant Complex. We also received a further tranche of negative test results. In total, to date 131 individuals have tested negative for COVID-19. At this time it is right to carefully reflect on these results and any connection between them before deciding what further action to take.
Our key objective is to protect lives. In the face of this global pandemic, the primary focus is to manage the immediate health risks. However, we must do this in a way which is proportionate to the circumstances in which we find ourselves, and we must also have regard to the need to keep the economy of the Islands going, to ensure that work can continue, where it is safe to do so.
It remains the case that no positive cases have been identified in Stanley. Our hospital has received key supplies of medicines equipment, and skilled staff, and is better-placed to respond. We still do not have testing capability on the Islands, but with more regular air links re-established, the delay in test results has been minimised.
It is important that we learn from good practice from around the world, but it is equally important that we adapt and apply that good practice to the circumstances as they are now in the Falkland Islands. We should continue to practice social distancing, so far as we can and follow the wider public health advice.
At this stage and after careful thought we feel that the existing restrictions should remain in place at least until we have further information from results expected early next week. This will allow time to see how the circumstances at MPC develop, and whether any cases develop in Stanley. I can assure you that we will keep under constant review whether the current restrictions should all remain in place.
FURTHER ACTION TO COME IN SUPPORT SCHEME
On 2 April the government launched the Private Sector and Self-Employment Support Scheme in part as a response to the Public Update that we provided on 26 March in which we advised all non-essential workers to stay home.
We realise that the 14-day period of payroll support for non-essential workers as allowed for in the Support Scheme is now expiring.
We will be making an announcement on Monday morning to address this issue.
UPDATE FOR BUSINESSES AND HOUSEHOLDS
The Falkland Islands Government recently carried out a business survey in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce that resulted in 283 responses.
Top Concerns Identified
- 84% of businesses reported they have already experienced a negative and direct impact on their businesses
- Key impacted areas across all businesses are operations, customer demand, business finances and liquidity
- Employee availability was a key concern for businesses and organizations
- Sectors experiencing the greatest impact include the hospitality sector and social and community functions like daycare
Measures so far
We have introduced a Private Sector Employee and Self- Employed Support Scheme that provided certain types of support for a period of fourteen days for those required to isolate because of hospital advice or upon the general advice of government to stay home due to not being classified as being in an essential occupation. It also provides assistance for a period of up to three months for those classified by KEMH as vulnerable.
Measures under consideration
A second broader set of measures is now under consideration that will address other issues being faced by businesses and households.
Business Issues
Some examples of the types of issues being faced by businesses include:
- Retention of labour – How do I retain my staff for extended periods of time if the economic effects of the pandemic persist?
- Liquidity – Will I have enough cash to cover my fixed costs or to keep operating when my sales are critically affected?
- How can my business survive for the period of time that the Pandemic will be affecting sales?
Household Issues
Households have similar issues to businesses in many ways:
Falkland Island residents will be asking how they will be able to pay the household bills - costs like food, utilities, mortgages, rents - if they have been laid off or if they have been instructed to stay home for an extended period of time and cannot earn a wage.
What are we doing next?
- We have considered the feedback from the business survey.
- We have looked at what other countries are doing to help businesses and households.
- We are analysing what measures would be best suited to solving the problems identified through our consultations and research.
- We anticipate being in a position in the near future where we can announce decisions.
GUIDANCE ON SELF ISOLATION FOR AIRBRIDGE ARRIVALS
The Government this week strengthened guidance around Self-Isolation for those who have arrived on Airbridge flights in recent weeks.
This group is described as being in Quarantine. This is self-isolation for the protection of others.
So if you are in this group, it’s important that you update yourself with the advice below.
If you have recently arrived in the islands you must self-isolate for 14 days just in case you have Covid-19 and don’t realise it. Some people who have Covid-19 don’t feel ill but we don’t want to take the risk that you could infect others around you.
In practical terms this means that you should not be leaving your house for any reason. You should be asking other people to do your shopping etc and leaving this on the porch for you.
If you live with other people then you need to be able to live separately from the others in the same house.
This means –
- Being able to have a separate bedroom and bathroom
- Always being able to be 2 metres apart from other people if you are in the same room
- Cleaning all surfaces after you have touched them
If you can’t do this then you either need to quarantine yourself somewhere else or the entire household must quarantine together. If you want more help with this please contact KEMH on 28000.
AIRBRIDGE THIS WEEKEND
The inbound flight TOW2232 is scheduled to arrive at MPC on Friday 10 April at 2030 hrs local.
The Northbound flight TOW2233 is scheduled to leave MPC on Sunday 12 April at 0130hrs local.
ETA - RAF Brize Norton: Monday 13 April at 0055 hrs (UK local).
Enhanced Social distancing is enforced.
Only report to the Air Terminal if you have been informed that you are travelling on this rotation.
Due to limited payload, passengers will not be able to take excess baggage over their entitlement on their booking.
Please check the BFSAI Facebook page for any updates.
YOUR WELLBEING:
It is understandable if you are worried about your safety and that of your loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is natural that we want to know exactly what is going on, but the current level of uncertainty and lack of control can make us feel unsafe and anxious.
Here are some tips to reduce this:
- Avoid excessive exposure to news and social media - Seek information updates at specific times of day, once or twice a day, from reputable sources.
- Limit the time you spend talking about the virus, and ask people to respect your decision not to discuss it.
- Reassure children that it’s going to be okay. Let them talk about their worries, but limit their exposure to news, social media and adult conversations.
- Control the things you can control – wash your hands, avoid touching your face and follow social distancing guidelines. Check on your friends and neighbours (especially more vulnerable people) and offer to help out where you can.
- Look after yourself! Do things that make you feel relaxed and safe.
- Stay in touch with friends and family via phone and social media.
Local support is also available as a 7-day service from the emotional wellbeing team at KEMH on 28082.
You may also find the following contacts helpful:
Samaritans (UK based charity): 51515 or email
NSPCC: 28888
Citizens Advice Bureau: 55355
Falkland Island Community Volunteers:
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY
To celebrate the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen on Tuesday 21 April 2020, 10.30am, the Falkland Islands and Royal Standard flags will be raise on Victory Green.
This will include a 21 Gun Salute. Due to COVID-19 and the requirement to social distance, the normal parade will not be held and the public are encouraged not to attend the event. The flags will be raised by the Falkland Islands Defence Force in the presence of His Excellency the Governor and MLA Stacy Bragger on behalf of the Legislative Assembly.
Advice around the Falkland Islands Government’s COVID-19 response can change. Please watch out for further statements from the Government in local media and through the FIG and Community Facebook pages, the web page www.fig.gov.fk/covid-19 and other channels