HAMILTON, Bermuda – Premier David Burt was booed by protesters over the government’s stringent coronavirus (COVID-19) travel regulations, but he later announced that six people in Bermuda have been infected with the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant that had its roots in India.
Premier David BurtPremier Burt described the news on the variant at Tuesday night’s media briefing as “disappointing” and said it highlighted the need for vigilance, even as Bermuda’s number of fully vaccinated people topped the 60 per cent mark.
Burt remained upbeat that the island could still hit his goal of 70 per cent herd immunity, saying the arrival last week of 4,000 fresh doses of the Pfizer vaccine donated by the British government put the jab within reach of anyone not vaccinated so far.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Ayo Oyinloye said it was now clear that “variants of concern are on the island – there’s no argument about that”
Four new positive coronavirus cases — overall, Bermuda has had 2,514 cases with 33 deaths — were announced, bringing the total active cases to 15, almost quadruple the four cases just two weeks ago.
Besides the six Delta variant cases five are the Beta or South African variant, according to Dr. Oyinloye.
It was also announced that large group gatherings will be cut from 100 to 50 people from Thursday, owing to the increase in cases.
On Tuesday, several hundred people gathered outside the Cabinet Office to present a series of demands to end travel restrictions and other COVID-19 prevention measures.
The demands, presented by “concerned citizens”, included ending mandatory supervised quarantining for non-vaccinated residents returning to Bermuda from overseas and discriminatory practices for vaccinated and non-vaccinated people in the workplace.
Accepting a letter from spokesman Antonio Belvedere, Premier Burt said Bermuda was a strong and vibrant democracy and the most important thing in a democracy was for all people to be respected.
He said the demands, which he called “suggestions and recommendations“, would be given due consideration.
The crowd booed and jeered as Premier Burt and his ministers returned to work.
Former attorney general, Mark Pettingill, who is representing objectors to mandatory supervised quarantine paid for by the unvaccinated in hotels, said the question was whether the mandatory supervised quarantine requirements were reasonable.
He used an example of a vaccinated mother arriving in Bermuda with her children and testing positive for COVID-19. He said they would be allowed to go home to quarantine.
But he said an unvaccinated mother who tested negative would have to pay to stay in a hotel with her children for 14 days. He said this did not make sense.
Pettingill said the whole cabinet did not support the mandatory supervised quarantine program.
“The fact is they do not all support it. We already know the back bench does not support it. I say they should take it to a vote in the House of Assembly. That has not happened. Before we get to messy court cases, let us take that simple step.
“I say to the cabinet on this one they do not have it right. Let’s take a moment and get it right,” Pettingill added.
