WILLEMSTAD – ” A relaxation of the corona measures in Curaçao is currently not an option. We are dealing with the British variant, which spreads much faster than the original virus. If we relax, we can expect much more infections and we cannot cope with that, ” says Curaçao epidemiologist Izzy Gerstenbluth.
The epidemiologist spoke on Thursday during a press conference of the Curaçao government in which Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath announced that the lockdown in Curaçao will be extended until April 30. The island has been in a lockdown since March 24. It was previously announced that an evaluation moment would take place on April 16. Especially in the catering industry there was hope for a relaxation of the measures. But according to Rhuggenaath and Gerstenbluth, Curaçao simply cannot do otherwise.
Tripling
This is due to the amount of infections on the island (more than 3800 active infections on Wednesday, April 14), the situation in the hospital (100 corona patients, of which 40 in the ICU and nine patients in the ICU in Aruba) and the number of corona patients who died. : 78. “We see in the figures a tripling of the number of deaths in three weeks,” said Gerstenbluth.
He emphasizes that the British variant works differently from the original virus. Now many more people between the ages of 20 and 60 are infected, and many more people in that age group die. According to Gerstenbluth, it is therefore very important to keep the contamination as low as possible. “And that can be done by extending the measures and vaccinating.”
67,000 registrations
That means that the curfew stays on from seven in the evening until 4:30 in the morning. The ‘Plachi di Dia’ system also continues to apply. This means that, based on the number plate of their car, people are allowed to take to the street twice a week. Furthermore, only vital shops are allowed to open their doors; catering may only deliver. With regard to the vaccination process, Curaçao seems to be on the right track. The aim is to vaccinate 85 percent of the 125,000 adult residents. By April 15, some 67,000 people had already registered; that is more than 50 percent of the target figure. More than 45,000 have already received a first vaccination, of which almost 13,000 people have received two vaccinations.
For the next two weeks it is mainly important in Curaçao that the population continues to adhere to the rules. Which means: staying at home as much as possible. Small changes are being made, such as the opening of banks and an extension of conditions for fishermen. Rhuggenaath: ” For the rest, the motto is: hang on! And let’s look ahead to when there will be some more space. ”
St. Maarten
Stricter rules have recently been introduced on St Maarten. Nightlife and shops must close at midnight. The government is looking at whether more measures need to be taken this week. Since the beginning of April, St. Maarten no longer allows passengers from Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. Furthermore, the population is urged to have vaccinations. There are 36 active infections, of which no fewer than 24 are infections with the British variant. Some of these are local infections. The situation is being closely monitored by the government. https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2021/04/15/curacao-verlengt-lockdown-omdat-er-geen-andere-optie-is/
Vandaag maakte de Curaçaose regering bekend dat de lockdown op het eiland verlengd wordt tot en met 30 april. De autoriteiten geven aan dat versoepelingen, gelet op de besmettingscijfers en prognoses, helaas niet mogelijk zijn.
Defensie roept ook op tot naleving van alle maatregelen en ondersteunt de regering bij het handhaven van de COVID-regels zoals de plachi di dia, en de avondklok.
Nog steeds verleent Defensie militaire bijstand. Onze eenheden, de Curaçaose militie en de Compagnie in de West, treden gezamenlijk en ook gemengd op in de teams op straat, en áltijd samen met het Korps Politie Curaçao. Het ondersteunen van de civiele autoriteiten is één van de grondwettelijke taken van Defensie.
