Some Key Points About ‘Shelter In Place’

April 2, 2020

[Updated] The Shelter in Place starts on Saturday for two weeks; you are not allowed to go out unless it is for food, medicine or to the gas station, there will be exemptions for essential workers, grocery stores will be open the whole time and extending a 5% discount, and you are allowed to exercise outside your home within a reasonable distance with no more than groups of two for restricted times.

These were some of the statements made in the Premier’s national address and the press conference held following that, explaining some of the policies that will be in effect during the Shelter in Place, which has been put in place following the declaration of a State of Emergency.

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In an attempt to provide some clarity, we have extracted some of the relevant points from the Premier’s two statements yesterday; which are below, however for the final and full details, you should always refer to the official Government website. Please also note that the overnight curfew [8pm - 6am] is in effect until Saturday, when the Shelter in Place begins.

From 6am, Saturday April 4th – April 18th

“From 4 April at 6am, Bermuda will implement the Shelter in Place measure for 14 days. The Shelter in Place is scheduled to end on 18 April.”

What Does It Mean?

‘Shelter in place’ means we must stay at home unless we must go to the store for food or medicine or to a gas station. Other exemptions will be in place for workers in essential areas and that list will be similar to the one now in place for nighttime curfew.

“So what does Shelter in Place look like in practical terms? It means that the only businesses that will remain open are food producers, such as farmers, fishermen, and those persons who raise and herd livestock, food wholesalers, retail grocery stores, doctors’ offices and medical facilities, pharmacies, gas stations, the ports, utility companies like gas and water will be available for emergency services and banks on restricted hours to only provide the most essential of services.

Regulations

“The Attorney General’s Chambers is working on the Regulations but I can indicate that they will require residents to ‘shelter in place’ for these 14 days, leaving their properties only if they are essential workers, in the case of medical emergencies or to purchase food or medicine.”

Essential Businesses Will Open

“The only businesses that will remain open will be food producers or food wholesalers, retail grocery stores, doctor’s offices and medical facilities, pharmacies, gas stations, the ports, utility companies like gas & water will be available for emergency service; and banks on restricted hours and only to provide the most essential of services.

Grocery Stores

“Grocery stores will open during the 14 days that we will be sheltering in place. And in addition to that, all major grocery store chains have confirmed that the traditional Wednesday 5% discount will be in place during the entire duration of the Shelter in Place.”

“Our ports will be open for goods, and goods will continue to come to the island. If you run out of necessary items, you will still be able to purchase them.”

Banks

“Local banks have been designated as essential services. However, all face to face interactions between bank customers and bank employees will be suspended for the two week period. Bank office operations include the servicing of ATM machines and the processing of wire payments, among other things such as online banking will continue.”

Exercise

“People will be allowed to exercise outside their home within a reasonable distance with no more than groups of two, for restricted times.”

We Must Save Lives

“Together we must do all we can to save lives, and the danger of waiting is not worth the money it might save. We must act decisively and we must act now. The future of Bermuda depends on us all doing our part.”

Update: The Government media posted the video below with Minister Caines & Police Commissioner discussing the Shelter In Place guidelines.

 

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As the island and world deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are doing our best to provide timely and accurate information, and you can find more information on the links below.

Officials are urging everyone to please follow all guidance like washing your hands, adhering to self quarantine if relevant, and practicing social distancing.

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Comments (11)

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  1. Jack says:

    So can I exercise on the public road outside my house? Minister Caines said a half mile from your house. Does this mean that I can run up and down the road outside my home for a half mile each way. This is how I am interpreting it but I don’t want to get in trouble for a violation of curfew if I have an incorrect interpretation here.

    • sage says:

      Get a map , find your home and using a compass set by the map scale to 1/4 mile and draw a circle, any roads inside that circle is where you can exercise.

  2. Curious says:

    What are consequences should one not comply??

    • Question says:

      You will be forced to sit and listen to boring repetitive soca music for 4 hours straight.

  3. Covid-19 Free says:

    What about the laundry mat for those of us that need it?

    • Lisa says:

      Laundromats have not been deemed essential services so all will be closed. We will have to wash the old fashion way.

  4. Melissa says:

    “People will be allowed to exercise outside their home within a reasonable distance with no more than groups of two, for restricted times.”

    I am going to only be allowed in my yard for restricted times???

    • Lisa says:

      You can sit in your own backyard all day if you want you are just restricted to walk within 1/2 mile of your home

  5. End Game says:

    So, what is the plan after this upcoming 2 weeks?

    We still will have well over 62,000 people who haven’t had the virus, no vaccine in sight for 12-18months.

    Can’t reopen the borders in that situation – a few untracked cases puts us into the same or worse scenario.

    Seems like we aren’t simply just flattening the curve, but rather forcing our infection rate so low that we are leaving ourself increasingly vulnerable in the future.

    Are we going to randomly have to go into lockdown and shut down the borders for a few weeks in the future every time someone comes in on a plane and infects a few people?

    Or is it just shut the borders until a vaccine comes out sometime in 2021 or 2022?

  6. Name game says:

    Question
    Are they checking ID’s when you go into stores on your designated last name days ? And if you go to a store on a day your letter of your last name is not on that day would you not be allowed to enter the store ?

    • Bright spark says:

      You can read right? You must be the bright one in your litter! You will be sent home full stop!