As it continues to move towards reopening the economy, government has relaxed the national curfew under the updated coronavirus disease (COVID-19) measures and is also now requiring that children over the age of eight wear masks when in public or travelling.
According to the measures, which have been gazetted and are in effect until the end of the month, the new curfew is from 9 pm to 4 am daily.
As a result, non-essential services would now be allowed to operate from 4 am to 8 pm.
In addition, a parent or guardian must also ensure that their child over the age of eight is wearing a mask when in public and travelling.
The measures also state that in addition to wearing masks in public, all passengers of vehicles, vessels and aircraft are now required to wear masks when travelling unless there is a reasonable excuse for not doing so.
If there is only one person in the vehicle, vessel or aircraft, there is no need to wear a mask. Masks can only be removed if a person is travelling to provide assistance to another person and that person relies on lip communication, if the person needs to eat or have a drink, if the person needs to remove the mask temporarily to comply with request by a relevant person or someone acting in the course of their duties.
Additionally, the mask can only be removed temporarily for identification purposes if necessary for receiving services.
Mask wearing is already mandatory for persons in public spaces and the measures stipulate that masks must be fitted to cover the wearer’s nose and mouth.
Meanwhile, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Eugene F. Correia International Airport will remained closed to international flights until October 11th, 2020. The Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill on Wednesday announced the Government’s intention to reopen airports to commercial flights on October 12th.
The special measures for regions Seven, Eight and Nine, including a ban on non-essential travel, also remain in effect while funeral homes and seafarers have been added to the list of essential services that can operate during a 24-hour period.
Although there is restriction on visitation to hospitals, hospitals are now allowed to decide on a case by case basis to allow a person to visit a patient that is not infected with COVID-19.
These new measures along with the previous measures were in effect from yesterday and will expire on October 31st, 2020.
