The 'Bailiwick strategy' remains in place

Wednesday 08 April 2020

Despite some of the lockdown measures feeling too strict in some areas, the Civil Contingencies Authority said it has to make decisions for the Bailiwick as a whole, to protect the health service from additional pressures caused by covid-19 which it just wouldn't cope with.

CCA Chair, Deputy Gavin St Pier suggested the average age of the residents in Alderney and Sark means the smaller islands have to fall in line with Guernsey, as the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, and health care workers across the Bailiwick, will still struggle if there's a sudden increase in patient numbers.

By the end of yesterday, 166 people had tested positive for covid-19 in the Bailiwick, but all are resident in Guernsey.

All of the islands remain in lockdown, with a review due on 18 April, when a decision will be made on whether the lockdown is extended further or the rules are relaxed ahead of the next school term.

Any symptomatic residents in Sark and Alderney are tested there, before their samples are assessed in Guernsey.

Pictured: Only flights between Alderney and Guernsey are operating at the moment.

With strict limitations on who can travel to the islands for essential reasons only, and none of those tests yet coming back positive, it has been suggested in Alderney that the lockdown measures could be lifted.

Deputy St Pier said all of those issues have been considered by the CCA which makes its decisions based on the expert advice from Dr Nicola Brink and her staff at Public Health.

"Alderney and Sark are represented on the Civil Contingencies Authority and it is very much a Bailiwick strategy, that is important. We've recognised that there are two particular challenges for those jurisdictions. One is their demographic is different to Guernsey's and they have an older population in both communities, and of course their health infrastructure is more fragile in their ability to actually treat on island if required, so they are more likely to have cases that require treatment and they have less ability to provide that treatment. So inevitably that will then put pressure on Bailiwick resources in managing that situation, so that's why it's a Bailiwick strategy, even though at the moment, they would appear to be in a better position, at having not had any positives.

"Certainly, there is a regular dialogue in seeking to understand their particular needs and requirements but there is a clear rationale that has been explored, with the other islands, as part of the Civil Contingencies Authority and with Public Health."

Pictured: Deputies Heidi Soulsby and Gavin St Pier. 

Deputy Heidi Soulsby said it was like comparing different parts of the UK which have to follow national guidelines.  

"In the UK, in certain parts of the country you might understand why they've got a tight lockdown at the moment, but in other more remote parts of the UK, are probably thinking why do we have to do this right now. 

"I understand that, but this is a Bailiwick wide approach and what we're doing is based on pubic health advice and all the risks that apply to the Bailiwick as a whole, and as Gavin said the greater, ageing population, in those two islands, and the more vulnerability of their health care systems." 

Pictured: So far there have been no positive covid-19 results in either Sark or Alderney (file image). 

Some residents in Alderney had been asking for the lockdown measures to be lifted ahead of the most recent press briefing in Guernsey.

James Dent, Chairman of the island's Policy and Finance Committee, had written to Deputy Soulsby, asking that Alderney's erstwhile virus free status and difference to Guernsey's demographics and geography, be taken into account and that Alderney is allowed some local discretion to vary restrictions.

The only concession, which is Bailiwick wide, is to allow more 'non-essential' businesses to offer delivery services. Details of that can be found HERE. 

Exemption is also being sought so restaurants in Alderney can offer a delivery service. They will have to meet certain criteria to maintain social distancing but the concession is being made to allow for meals to be delivered taking into account the islands older demographic. 

Details can be found HERE and HERE. 

Pictured: Sark and Alderney.