Updates: Covid-19 On Saturday, March 28
[Updating] As the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic continues to affect countries around the globe, Bermuda is taking strict measures to prevent the spread of the virus, with the island shutting down massive segments of activity, including the airport, schools, buses, ferries, gyms, spas and more.
Live updates will be posted as they come in, encompassing both the public and private sectors, and if you have relevant information, please email info@bernews.com. Further information can be found on the Bermuda Government’s website, all our articles on Covid-19 can be found here, and our newly launched dedicated Covid-19 website can be found on Bernews.com/Covid19.
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I think the premium should close his borders before we get any infections at all. No one is talking about that I think that really needs to be considered so we all can be safe this island is too small for even one infection
Act now before it’s too late
The financial and business sectors are largely employed professionals from overseas. In business, there are lots of trips overseas. I mean, any of them can have the virus land on the suitcase and bring it to the island unknowingly. Covid-19 can live on hard surface up to 4 days. A infected hand on the toilet door handle is enough to spread to the next person. Exercise, fresh air, eat healthy diet is the only preventive medicine for now.
Close our Airport !Today !!!!
latest:
All flights to the Caribbean island will be halted from Tuesday 17th as the St Lucian Government attempt to stop the spread of the virus.
When is the effective date for school closures similar to churches as there are well over 50 in Primary, Middle, Senior and Private.
Parents can monitor the child using the restrooms and cleaning up after themselves, unlike the teacher or janitor,unless there are set appointments for each class line up use
Smdh Anyone Arriving After 3/17/20
SELF QUARINTINE ? WELL HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GET TO THEIR HOMES ? IM NOT DRIVING MY TAXI TO THE AIRPORT TO PICK UP ANYONE
Ummmm….lets see maybe their parents, a family member or a friend! They then also become quarantined but I’m pretty sure they would want their children home with them. Anyway, who relies on taxis anymore? I know I got tired of arriving on the NY or Miami flights and seeing zero taxis there. You don’t honestly think anyone replies on taxis as their first option do you? People take a chance on a taxi when its their only option. Its sad really because their are about half of the drivers that hustle and do a great job while others are happier to park and pick their fares.
So far you have assured the public that Coronavirus is not here. Keep work on those borders.
Not much talk on the schools and unsure of the agenda, but DON’T INTRODUCE NO VACINES ,NOT NOW, NOT EVER!!!
How does it make sense to close all these public events and borders but leave all the public schools still open? BHS is closed, so should the rest.
Why didn’t airlines notify locals currently traveling and visitors to the Island ref 17 March. Not all people who travel overseas carries and Laptop or Tablet. There should have been window period to return to Bermuda in which family members can attempt to contact their love ones traveling.
On another note, what arrangements are being made for families to hold Funeral Services for love ones.
Will Funeral Homes and KEMH refrain from imposing any additional charges for additional days for holding a body.
Close The Damn Schools
on another unrelated topic, when will we be getting bananas again?
Opposition Leader Craig Cannonier spoke well both Government and Opposition are working as #1.
I think that we all know the gravity of this virus, I believe that we are all taking this very serious, but lets not panic, because normally in panic mode, bad decisions are made. Lets all follow the recommendation from the GOV. Officials!!
Why are sports clubs closing, when theirs Premier & First division games still on?? Is the BFA not paying attention??
Why are the results from over a week ago still pending? I thought they said they’d be here no later than Monday or Tuesday?
Even if we could keep Bermuda virus free, what is the “escape plan”? Wait for a year for a vaccine? We’d be in a real state by then. It’s totally impractical. Fact is we need to let the virus spread slowly through the population so the hospital can cope, while keeping at-risk groups as protected as possible. This is the only way to develop “herd” immunity.
The virus is out there and we have to face it at some point. It’s not going away like SARS1 or MERS.
El Crazyador, please talk sense. Do you know the numbers of cremations abroad from the disease spreading?
Do you know the vacination can be tested on YOU first as the guinea pig. People are paying a price seriously.
Mr. Burt knows what he is doing to keep the people alive.Moved slow in closing schools, but he is on track. He had to endure organization properly for all of the people.
Herd immunity!!!
And what happened to the “Isolation” category in the chart above? Why was it removed as it reflected cases of individuals that had symptoms?
This will be the downfall of Mr.Burt and the PLP. Close the schools NOW.
This is not something you can just wait to happen. Don’t be foolish and close the schools now. Don’t wait for it to spread and then close them, close them now. I don’t know who is advising him.
Schools have been closed dummy!!!
On the contrary, corona will be the PLP’s saving grace. Now they can blame the down economy on corona since people were starting to see through their bs.
Any update on the tests that have been sent out, but with no results yet? Seems like two or three days without any test results coming back.
Bernews, you should make this a sticky that stays at the top of the recent news all day long. You’re the most reliable (and legible) news source. Good job either way.
Thank you and yes we agree….we keep meaning to keep it at the top, problem is it has to be done manually, so we keep lagging. We are working on a something we hope will help present things in a more organized manner, as it really is deluge of information right now!!
No confirmed cases in Bermuda at this time. I hope that the Bermuda rumor mill is not correct
Please please take all the grocery packers away from the grocery stores !!!
The very polite young girl and at the counter that I was on earlier today made too much conversation with the person in front, And then got her broken produce dep glove caught on the sticker from the meat that I bought ..they will spread this like wild fire staff levels need to be kept low .I am all for packers having a gig but now is not the time.
Go back to two trash pick per week. RATS ?
True
Why all the secrecy of what flights these two people came on. There were others on those flights who have now gone home and come in contact with a lot of people including their children who will then infect others.Have we not been watching what this has done in other countries. If two are confirmed then we are already in trouble.
It would be smart if all children and adults packing groceries at the supermarkets are suspended from doing this for the next 90 days to minimize exposure. Cashiers are front line and bags should be readily available for all customers to quickly pack their purchases and keep it moving. Stop the charging for bags . For now
Cashiers should be better protected too, maybe a plexi-glass barrier at head height.
Could do, should do, going to do, why not done.
There is a limit on what can be done. So far Bermuda seems to be following the rest of the world fairly well however life must go on.
Many keyboard pounders can work at home. Many hands on workers can have work delayed.
Then there are those who are links in the food chain. These start with the ship crews, dock workers, truckers, wholesalers, truckers again, everyone in the markets to the cashiers. These people cannot simply stay at home. Neither can energy or communications people. There are others.
Life must tick on even at a slower pace. The biggest concern is for those who are laid off with no pay & no chance of re employment anytime soon. The hospitality industry is as good as shut down.
It is a snapshot (I hope) of just how reliant we are of foreign capital and the activity it generates.
Couldn’t the government have required testing for returning residents before they get on the flights so they don’t bring the coronavirus to Bermuda? That’s the only way to prevent it from reaching the island.
Not enough test and idiots still wanted to travel for vacation thus bringing back Corona to declare to Bda.
Minister Caines,
Not easy task here. Hundreds of Bermudian students are back…young and ready for a good time. They are on the beaches and for sure not social distancing. Need to check Elbow and Horseshoe in day time and Front Street
after dusk.. need some hefty fines maybe?
Just a video of Governor Cuomo of New York in which he says that the city has carried out 45000+ tests and have found the more tests you take, the more cases you find. They have drive thru testing going on. Praying for Bermuda and asking the Lord to protect us as he has done so many many times before.
Nope, not true. Blame your govt and tourism offices forcnot taking this seriously enough at first…we came to Bermuda, many trips the past 7 years, but we were ready to cancel. The Bermuda bulletins all said for us to come, all was operating as usual, no panic needed. Those notices were being officially posted thru Mon, March 16. We arrived 15 Mar, we did not have anything done except informal verbal response to questions about travel, nothing about taking our temperature, etc. Later on our arrival day, local friends tell us 2 days later there will be a quarantine starting! Who wants to come to an island where we are going to be stuck and have no resources to sit in the apartment we rented? Then, bus and ferry services are stopped and nobody is given this info, no locals know, we are again stranded and nobody can even find a taxi service. It was a cluster f, period. We travelled to Antarctica and S America in Jan, all kind of tempersture checks were in place! And, ths 2 cases found while we were on BDA,we had to leave the 20th, were already there when we arrived, on 4th and 6th those came in!
Lets be clear idiot NO GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD TOOK IT SERIOUS. NOW SHUT UP AND STOP FINGER POINTING. ONLY A FOOL WOULD TRAVEL DURING THIS TIME FOR VACATION.
You are right. Our government was acting like it was business as usual. That’s what I got from them too while residents were crying out to them to take it seriously and shot the country down and allow commercial importations and exports only. before we get cases. They didn’t listen, while their supported try to explain why it’s impossible to shut the country down. Now fast forward back to our current position. Whole country shut down, only imports and exports allowed. We are now virused up and afraid. I thought it couldn’t be easily done. No our government was only concerned about a few dollars during a slow tourist season. Tourist like yourself wasted your time, when you could have been told no before you left your doors. All this is crazy and through it all, it just doesn’t make sense. This could have been avoid if were proactive instead of reactive. Now I’m stuck watching these stupid looking press conferences, that only makes you angrier; wanting to reach out your hand and slap all of them into next year.
Confirmed cases 2 (imported)
Is the word ‘imported’ necessary here? Is this virus growing organically?
Yes, it is necessary. Means/suggests no local transmission.
It would be very fitting to have a radio talk show host giving constant updates, mediator between Doctors and people being tested, isolated or basically concerned via radio.
We had a great individual who did a wonderful job keeping the community abreast of the country’s affairs with guest speakers and question and answer periods.
It would be ideal keeping the public informed aside from the news reports.
Everywhere else small businesses are getting rent and tax relief as they are forced to close because of this emergency because when this is over its small business that will re start the economy…whats Bermuda doing ?
Please people, shut the entire island down until April 6. Everyone can be together in this to stop the spread of this pandemic.
Martial law was necessary in China to contain the virus.
We need to be serious and tackle this issue and stop encouraging people to walk into business casually at this time.
Maintain control while there are two confirmed cases and shut the island down.
Employees take a stand. Managers exercise common sense.
There would be no need for sorry, pitiful daily counts tallying up loss of lives down the road later.
Yes, shut the island down. Make people stay home. Having children wondering in the city was crazy yesterday.
I agree. Obviously they were imported, where else could the virus had come from?
If the United States is recommending the proper distance for social distancing is 6 feet why does Bermuda recommend only 3 feet? Should they not abide by the guidelines put forth by the world leader in the fight against the Coronavirus? Are we getting the best and safest information from our Government?
Touch Through Me Ministries
7 Malabar Road Somerset
We have cancelled services as of a week ago, until further notice.
In view of the advice given on social distancing from the government, is it necessary for ALL government MPs to appear with the Premier when he’s giving his daily briefing.
Boris Johnson makes do with the relevant experts, usually 2. Donald Trump needs an entourage to boost his ego, and dominates all news conferences talking sometimes about subjects he has no clue about.
Let’s our leaders lead by example; stay away except if you’re participating actively in the news conference.
I 100% agree with staying home, but if we need to go out for essentials like food and medicine, I also understand that masks should be worn.
If this is correct, where are we to get these makes from?
No, if you have no symptoms, please do not waste a mask that would be better served by being used by our health care workers. Masks are more for protecting others from your germs if you are not in direct contact with someone who is sick.
We need a stay at home order now let’s take a note from the rest of the world before it’s to late
Are we not allowed to sit on a beach if we practice social distancing?
I might have missed this but how many ventilators dose the bermuda hospital have?
I appreciate the question and answer session coming directly from our Premier. He answered very intelligently, without advisors and with asurity.
We need only to be more responsible, plan ahead, listen and yearn to live healthy. Continue in the Spirit of Love
Will overseas mail be coming in and going out?
The names of these people should be public so we can figure out if we have had contact with them. That is what they re doing in other countries. There is no shame in having covid19 the shame is that the govt is not telling us all the details
How about you stay your A$$ home for 2 weeks and shut up!!!
Don’t mean to nitpick, but is it just me or is the math not accurate? A person on BA flight 08March infects close family member, so 1+1 = 2. Then there was another positive on BA flight 17March. 2+1 = 3. Then they mentioned that there were 2 more positives on a private jet of unkown US origin. 3+2 = 5.
So in total there should now be 5 + 2 previous positives = 7, not 6, right? Or did the person that infected the close family member on the 8th of March leave Bermuda soon after?
I suppose +7 or 6, doesn’t make much of a difference, just prefer accurate updates by the gov. Hoping all make a speedy recovery, bless.
Why the &&^%$ they didnt close down the airport a month ago all is f&%$$ money, now money cant save us now!!
You are doing a great job Bernews. Keep it up
Why was no info done on the date the infected arrived on a private plane ? Are they Bermudian and are they in quarantine and why is the airport only closed to comercial planes ? It should be closed to all air traffic except cargo food meds medical equipment Royal Air Force.
Regardless whether they’re Bermudian or not. This virus has been going around for months and all of a sudden six cases has popped up… I recall a month or 2 back a lady I know tell me “how she came down with the flue and how dreadful she felt that it took her breath away she had to take antibiotics to treat her conditions.”
Now that I think about it, this virus is making me question how long has it been on the Island? And what plan is the government putting in place to detect the carriers? Who may be passing it on to others. This government is going to need thousands of test kits.
Antibiotics have no effect on the flu which is a virus, and may do more harm than good. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections not for viruses
You can get secondary bacterial infections.
Yes, in fact that is a major risk for people severely effected by the disease.
Who says they arrived on a private plane?
News, I believe.
People with Flu out and about the Island, entertaining family shouldn’t they be in self quarantine.
We need to know what they mean by one of the cases is a “close family member” of someone on the March 8th BA flight.
Is the person on that flight not
a) now in Bermuda
b) in Bermuda but tested negative for the virus?
Well Apparently ….. When some of us were waiting for the next next episode of our favorite TV show to come on… Back in 2019 December.. The Good Times Wuhan clang introduce #19 tell everyone n World Health Officials told us Silently to watch out …
Hmmm #NWO stage 2
These fools could have avoided this nonsense if the would have placed all arrivals in quarantine in a hotel from the start . The amount of fine giving to these larger than life idiots that break quarantine is not going to bring our loved ones back if it spreads.
Checking like this regardless of gloves or not will transfer the virus from glove to license or car of the next person and that person taking license back or touching vehicle. As it could live on surface for well over a few hours.
Stop all private and charter flights to Bermuda.
We could have had minimal disruption had this been done.
Let this be a lesson to the government .
If one of those passengers on the cruise ship, Zane welcomed to the island did no t get symptoms until they returned on board and heading back we in Bermuda would have had more trouble than we can handle. I am glad Bermuda is taking its cue from the Mother land
However they too waited to long . And several media outlets have suggested and informed that the virus can some times take as long as 37 days make someone sick . I would also include that people in the epicenter spent 50 days in total lock down. Before they can start going out and yet need special permission to travel to other provinces within China . As they know this is for the long haul.
Thank you Bernews. Keep up the good work
Oooh boy. So you all believe the only Bermudians abroad are some school kids in TO, and UK. How you you feel if you were corona free in a foriegn country where the lockdowns are getting worse by the day, and the only way home is through the airport? When is the airport going to open? Thanks Question. So there is no answer! Unfortunately some readers can’t get there head around how many Bermudians are trapped overseas. Premier Burt, do you have an answer? How about Bob Richard’s Skyport? How about our great new BTA guy? Anybody? BTW, kudos to those on the front lines in Bda! Keep up the good work!
Is it called zenophobia? Check on Google maps where Laos is, next to China. They just reported their first 2 cases today! This has been world wide for two months or more. Of course it was coming here! You can only control it. You can’t stop it. My mother lives alone in CT., talked to her other night, at 81 years old, she’s afraid. i wouldn’t go anywhere near her at this time. Family clusters. The airport has to open at some point. When? People need real information.
Xenophobia
Honorable Premier,
I would like for you to name Government Departments which is Non essential because either they DEPT. HEADS are confused or work place bullies at the TOP.
Bermuda is a third world country, we are getting the news from our leaders during a pandemic on YouTube
People need to realise that the numbers are gonna increase. So don’t be alarmed. I notice people are moving around like there’s no threat. People need to take this seriously and stay the home. Don’t be surprised if we go into a 24 hour curfew.
LOCKDOWN THE ISLAND NOW!!!!!!CAYMAN ALREADY DONE IT WITH 8 CASES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Judging by the large public gatherings at the Supermarkets and Pharmacies I saw today. It looked like Cupmatch was abut to start tomorrow. from what I gathered no social distancing was in practice other than letting in pairs of 50 indecisive patrons at a time, mostly looking for a hang out spot. Honestly, I won’t be surprised if there are many more cases coming up soon due to local exposure.
Now that I am thinking about this, I really don’t think it’s fair to allow most service and retail businesses to close while other dominate “essential business” are allowed to remain open. Government has now have opened doorways for these dominate “essential business” no longer have competition. And none of these establishments are enforcing social distancing or minimum purchase limits. I mean think about it most Pharmacies have a teeny-tiny section in their complete storefronts actually dedicated to pharmaceutical goods and services, while most food wholesalers are only lacking a lumber department.
Charter comes in more cases who would have thunk it. The more cases gives excuse for the total lockdown that they want. Stay free people
Please add to your Covid 19 summary whether those infected are kept isolated in government supervised facilities, eg hotel rooms or left at home
So We Now know a few things do to hind sight ! So let’s have some forward sight ! The Airport Needs to be Sanitized !!!! All persons arrived on last flight QUARINTINEd in one location or locations ! Childs play will cost you your life …
Time will tell if this was the right move?