Curfews tighten

Stricter curfews will be imposed across the rest of Jamaica as coronavirus cases continue to climb, bringing overall infections in the island to 1,612.

Eighty-three new cases were recorded on Monday.

Effective Thursday, August 27, the entire country – with the exception of those now under the 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew – will be placed under a 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. restriction on movement until September 30, 2020.

However, residents in St Thomas, Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine and Clarendon will remain under the 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until September 2. Starting September 3, curfews for these parishes will also be set at 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. until September 30.

Designated communities in the Corporate Area, where COVID-19 cases have spiked over the last two weeks, will be placed under other restrictions. As of Thursday, residents will be required to stay in their homes.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that residents in these communities would be allowed to go to work, get food and medical supplies, and to conduct financial transactions.

However, he said no one would be allowed to loiter.

The communities will be clearly defined today.

Holness was at pains to point out that the restrictions imposed by the Government to contain the spread of the virus would have a negative impact on the economy.

It has been revealed that more than 1,000 persons have already been slapped with charges under the Disaster Risk Management Act.

The Government has also put the brakes on the granting of approvals for parties and other entertainment events for the next two weeks. Events that have already been approved will be cancelled and their fees refunded.

The prime minister acknowledged that nomination day activities would have an impact on the number of coronavirus cases in the coming days.

Both major political parties have called off drive-through campaigns.