Jamaica Government to Reintroduce Mask Mandate
The Government will be reintroducing mandatory mask wearing in public spaces as Jamaica experiences a fifth wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness. (Photo credit: Okoye Henry)Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the disclosure while addressing the handover of two housing units under the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP) in St. James, on Friday, May 20.
“It is going to be a requirement shortly for all of our citizens to return to wearing their masks,” said Mr. Holness.
He said that Jamaica is in the endemic phase of the virus, meaning that it is becoming part of daily life and for the foreseeable future, the country will be experiencing recurrent bouts of increased infections.
“Thankfully, we are not seeing the infections and the illness translating, so far, into serious hospitalisations. We don’t want to go back to that situation [and] so again, I am urging all Jamaicans to act responsibly,” Mr. Holness said.
The Prime Minister is urging citizens to continue to observe and practise the COVID-19 safety protocols.
“If you haven’t yet gotten your vaccine, vaccines sites are still open and vaccination is ongoing. Please get vaccinated,” he encouraged.
“Wear your masks, particularly if you are indoors, and maintain social distance. Sanitisation of the hands is very important and has been proven to slow transmission. If you are ill, particularly with any form of respiratory illness, you would want to try and take stock, get tested, stay at home and isolate a little bit until you know exactly what the situation is, so that you don’t pass it on to others,” he advised.
The two-bedroom units were handed over to Beverley Thompson of Latium as well as husband and wife, Jermaine and Jasseth Clarke of Lottery.
~This article originally appeared on the Jamaica Information Service here:
