A number of businesses which are not considered essential services have suspended their operations in keeping with the recently announced emergency measures that are being implemented in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
With the announcement, only a number of services are able to operate between 6am and 5pm, including banks, markets, supermarkets, food services and restaurants. Other identified as essential services, including pharmacies, are not similarly constrained by the curfew.
Some of those businesses in and around Georgetown that do not fall under the
categories on Monday shut their doors even as the town appeared empty throughout the course of the day as there was little to no vehicular or pedestrian traffic in certain areas.
Stabroek News observed that a few supermarkets that kept their doors open, including Bounty Supermarket, had put measures in place to have their customers practice social and physical distancing. Customers were allowed into the supermarket in small numbers and those outside were spaced out in a line as they waited to enter the establishment. The measures that were observed were in keeping with those announced with the emergency measures. .
During a national update for COVID-19, Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence yesterday noted that she could not stress enough the need for every person to follow the guidelines set out by the government. “If we are to keep our numbers down, you must follow the guidelines,” she said, while adding that COVID-19 does not “pick and choose” who it will affect.
Lawrence added that the curfew put in place three days ago was established with the aim of stopping the spread of the virus and will continue daily. “Yet it is very evident that persons do not understand the seriousness of the situation since they continue to congregate in groups,” she said while urging members of the public to cooperate and stay at home if there is no need to go out. The minister also implored persons to keep their nose and mouth covered if they have to go out.
