Hairdressers, tattoo studios and makeup services are among the businesses permitted to reopen under new safety guidelines aimed at reducing the number of Covid cases in the Island.
Meanwhile, the government has launched its Fixed Costs Support Scheme to add a further £9.5 million to the support already available to businesses through initiatives such as the Co-funded Payroll Scheme. Local companies can apply to the new scheme – which is backdated to 1 January 2021 and will run until 30 April – if they have been affected by recent government measures that forced them to close.
The most recent figures show that there are 56 known active cases in Jersey, down from December’s peak of more than 1,000.
Deputy Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham said that it had been ‘an exceptionally difficult winter’ for Island firms.
‘We are committed to continue protecting businesses, lives and livelihoods in Jersey throughout the whole duration of the pandemic,’ he said. ‘I hope that this additional funding provides the necessary support to enable those businesses most impacted by public-health measures to weather the winter period and to move ahead with more confidence into 2021.’
The reopening of non-essential shops – which had been closed since Christmas Eve following a sharp rise in Covid numbers – was delayed by a week after a cluster of cases was found among ‘retail supply-chain staff’ who had allegedly not been following the public-health guidance. Non-essential shops operating without close-contact services were able to open last Wednesday.
Dr Ivan Muscat, deputy medical officer of health, said there were a ‘number of mitigation measures’ that businesses could implement to help stop the virus spreading.
‘People who work in close-contact services are eligible and encouraged to take part in the Island’s workforce testing programme to permit the early detection of cases and therefore prevent new clusters by identifying and breaking the chain of transmission,’ he said.
‘While we accept that, when providing services, physical distancing won’t be possible, such distancing should be maintained at all other times to minimise risk, as the longer the time spent in close contact, the higher the risk.’
He added that the measures in place, which include reducing access to touching surfaces and objects, increased hygiene and cleaning activities, wearing masks and other PPE and the arrangement of seating and screens to facilitate physical distancing, would help reduce the risk of transmission.
He also said that contact tracing remained a ‘fundamental part’ of the Covid-19 strategy, and that businesses must collect contact information of everyone over 12 years old who visited their premises to facilitate tracing, ‘should this be necessary’.
The new guidelines were developed following engagement with the close-contact service industry, with more than 60 businesses giving feedback on the policy.
Health Minister Richard Renouf thanked the firms involved with the plans for ‘continuing to work hard’ to keep customers and staff safe.
‘As we continue to reconnect the Island and ease restrictions, Islanders should continue strict adherence to the ongoing current public-health measures including keeping physical distance, and not household mixing,’ he said.
‘It is alongside these public-health measures that it has been assessed as safe to reopen retail and close-contact services. Relaxation in one area does not mean Islanders can automatically relax in another.
‘Without personal adherence at all levels, Covid-19 cases could rise again, potentially affecting progress of the reconnection process.
‘We can help each other regain our sense of normality by being strict with ourselves to allow continued safe access to services.’
Businesses applying for the Fixed Costs Support Scheme will need to show they have suffered a 20% fall in turnover when compared with a comparable month in 2019, and the amount they can claim each month is determined by the parish rates paid on their business premises last year.
Meanwhile, Dr Muscat said that three new accompanying symptoms of coronavirus have been identified.
He has added nasal congestion, conjunctivitis and different types of skin rash to the list of complaints that may accompany the three main symptoms of Covid.
The main symptoms are a high temperature/fever, a new, continuous cough, and loss or change to sense of smell and/or taste.
Other accompanying symptoms already identified include headaches,
tiredness, muscle ache, a sore throat and gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting and diarrhoea).
Anyone who does not have any of the three main symptoms, but does have one of the accompanying symptoms and has concerns about having Covid, can
contact the government’s free helpline on 0800 735 5566.
