• Restrictions lifted on access to Rum Point, Starfish Point, Sandbar and Stingray City.
• Rules around visiting prisons, residential care homes and hospitals clarified.

GRAND CAYMAN (GIS) – The Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (No.3) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 and the Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (Travel and Boating) (No.3) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 come into effect tomorrow, Saturday 1 August 2020.

            The changes clarify arrangements for visitors to hospitals, residential care homes and prisons and remove the ban on vessels accessing Rum Point, Starfish Point, Sandbar and Stingray City.

            The Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (No.3) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020, state that only those with written permission from the Medical Officer of Health or charged with monitoring/managing a person in quarantine, may access a quarantine or isolation facility in Grand Cayman or Cayman Brac.   

            Such persons must follow the directions of the management of the facility as pertains to social distancing and the wearing of PPE (personal protective equipment). For home isolation, social distancing must be observed and PPE must be worn, as directed by the Medical Officer of Health.

            Visiting a health facility in Grand Cayman or Cayman Brac will also necessitate observing social distancing and wearing PPE, as per management directions.

            The regulations specify that visitors to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 require written permission from the Medical Officer of Health, are restricted to visiting the specified patient only, and must follow all rules pertaining to social distancing and wearing PPE.     

            For residential care homes, prospective visitors must return a negative test for COVID-19 to the satisfaction of the Medical Officer of Health, within three days before the intended visit. During the visit, six feet of distance must be maintained between the visitor and all other persons, including the person they are visiting.

            Visitors to persons held in prison or a detention centre in Grand Cayman or Cayman Brac must be a relative of the detainee. Persons must return a negative test for COVID-19 to the satisfaction of the Medical Officer of Health, within three days of the intended visit. They must also follow direction from the Director of Prisons regarding social distancing and the wearing of PPE (or the Medical Officer of Health when falling outside the remit of the Director of Prisons).

            Also published Friday afternoon 31 July 2020 the Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (Travel and Boating) (No.3) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020   remove the prohibition on boat access to:Rum Point, Starfish Point, Sandbar and Stingray City.

            Members of the public are reminded that conditions for using a boat in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac limit passenger size to no more than 50 persons or half the vessel’s maximum capacity, whichever is smaller. The regulations stipulate physical distancing of six feet between members of different households must be maintained. Congregating so more than 50 persons are present in one location is prohibited.

            Persons found in contravention of these rules could be subject to a fine of $1,000 and six months imprisonment.

            These regulations remain in place until 31 August, 2020 or until Cabinet specifies. They can be viewed at:

·         Prevention, Control and Suppression of Covid-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (No.3) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 http://gazettes.gov.ky/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/12992651.PDF;

·         Prevention, Control and Suppression of Covid-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (Travel and Boating) (No.3) Regulations, 2020, http://gazettes.gov.ky/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/12992652.PDF ; and

·         Notice under section 6(5) the Immigration (Transition) (Amendment) Law, 2020, http://gazettes.gov.ky/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/12992653.PDF.

All other conditions currently in force and unaffected by these legislations remains in place until 31 August 2020.