11 June 2021
Ahead of another busy weekend of travel arrivals and hospitality visits, businesses are reminded to maintain and ensure they are keeping to measures which protect their staff and customers against the spread of COVID-19.
Businesses must continue to:
- Collect contact details for all customers in the hospitality sector where food and/or drink is consumed on the premises
- Maintain good hygiene and ventilation, with appropriate hand sanitiser available for staff and customers
While masks are no longer required in law from Monday 14 June, except in public transport, business should still support staff and customers to wear masks, particularly in crowded indoor areas. Physical distancing, with 1 metre minimum, should also be supported wherever practicable as it helps also reduces risk.
In light of the cases in the past week, the COVID Safe team are urging businesses and customers to refresh themselves on COVID-19 guidance, laws, and health and safety requirements, which help keep them safe.
Collecting contact tracing information remains a legal requirement under the COVID-19 Workplace Restrictions (Jersey) Order 2020 and all customers or visitors aged 12 and over must be recorded.
If contact details are properly collected, people who may be at risk of developing and transmitting COVID can be identified. The IT system, which supports the contact tracing data, has recently shown a 30% drop in figures. Where there are concerns about lack of contact details, Ministers will notify the public of venues visited by people who are COVID positive, so that others who were in the same venue at the same time, may arrange a COVID test. This aligns with advice from the Scientific Technical Advisory Cell.
Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ivan Muscat said: "With increased social interactions comes an increased risk of being a direct contact of a positive individual. Being able to quickly identify direct contacts allows us to test and isolate those who may be at higher risk of developing and transmitting the virus.
"About a third of people with the virus have no symptoms, contact tracing helps to reduce the risk that people spread the virus unknowingly. Additionally, it is worth reminding everyone that if they have symptoms that may be due to COVID to isolate and arrange for testing via the helpline on 01534 445566."
Islanders and arrivals are also strongly encouraged to download the COVID Alert App, which notifies people who have been close to a positive case.
Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf said: "Our COVID-19 laws and guidance are more important than ever and contact tracing is critical to stopping the spread of COVID – even more so as we relax restrictions and welcome more arrivals to the Island during the summer months.
"Notifying the public regarding areas where COVID has been present, is not to 'shame and name' businesses but to help identify direct contacts. If businesses adhere to the guidance, it will reduce the spread within their establishment, however this is supported by the reality that an asymptomatic positive case may still visit.
"I urge businesses and Islanders to remind themselves about the requirements and public health measures, so that we can all remain as safe as possible and continue to enjoy the freedoms we have during a safe summer."
Eligible businesses are invited to register for the Workplace Lateral Flow Testing programme, to receive free Covid test kits for their staff to use every week, within the workplace.
Current eligible sectors are:
- hospitality
- retail
- agriculture and fisheries
- public transport
- postal, freight and delivery service
- wellbeing, cosmetic and beauty
- veterinary practices and animal husbandry
- early years
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