Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 25, 2020 (SKNIS): Dr. Hazel Laws, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), said that the National COVID-19 Task Force met with relevant stakeholders on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, to discuss the implementation of critical health and safety protocols at their properties.
“In the morning, we met with the hotel operators and then in the afternoon the Task Force met with the leadership of the Ministry of Education and stakeholders within the Early Childhood Education sector,” said Dr. Laws at the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) COVID-19 Daily Briefing for June 24, 2020.
The hoteliers were able to give feedback and recommendations on the way forward in the tourism industry and to give every assurance to potential visitors and employees at these establishments that their health, safety and well-being are being taken seriously.
A similar meeting was held on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at the Royal St. Kitts conference room to discuss plans to reopen the economy, beginning with bars and restaurants.
Under the current COVID-19 Regulations, the suspension of the retail liquor license has been removed and bars have been opened. However, physical distancing measures must be adhered to. Likewise, restaurants have been opened for in-dining, while complying with physical distancing measures. Table allocations should be between two and four persons and spacing between tables should allow a minimum of six feet between patrons. Restaurants are required to establish appropriate sanitization programmes for employers and patrons, and patrons are required to wear masks, except when eating and drinking.
The CMO said that meetings of this nature are extremely important.
“These stakeholder meetings were critical because we discussed the level of preparedness of the hotel industry in terms of reopening and the level of preparedness in terms of the Ministry of Health and the Early Childhood Sector for reopening,” she said.
In the best interest of students, teachers and the nation, schools in St. Kitts and Nevis remain closed as officials continue to work to curb the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic.