The National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) is moving ahead with the phased reopening of the country and is likely to see public servants returning to work, Director of Operations at its Secretariat Mark Archer has said.
The third phase of the reopening is scheduled for July 17 to July 30.
Archer told this newspaper on Monday that there has been no changes in the planned reopening but noted that the public health authorities are conducting an assessment. He noted that recommendations from that assessment, which will be provided to the NCTF on Wednesday, could result in changes.
Secretary to the NCTF Imran Khan said that other measures will also be included under phase three of the reopening and will be made available to the public in due course.
The country entered Phase 2 of the reopening plan on July 2, when the manufacturing sector, public sector construction and medical schools were allowed to operate once again during non-curfew hours.
The first phase of the reopening plan was announced on June 17 and saw food establishments, including street vendors, being allowed to operate but only for takeout and delivery services in non-curfew hours. That first phase also allowed for persons to exercise for 90 minutes in public spaces.
Initially it was noted that Phase One was expected to be monitored for at least two weeks to observe the impact of the transition. The movement to the different phases was expected to be contingent on little to no change in Guyana’s COVID-19 status, however, since the implementation of the first phase there has been a steady increase in cases, with Guyana recording a total of 17 deaths and 300 cases as of Monday. When the first phase was initiated, the country had recorded 171 cases and 12 deaths.
The partial lockdown began on April 3 this year. After a month it was extended to June 3. It was then extended by a further two weeks which then led into the first phase of reopening.
