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The island is going into a "short, hard" lockdown with immediate effect.
The swift decision follows confirmation of four new positive cases of Covid-19. It is not immediately clear how they contracted the virus, as none are directly from travel or the contacts of known cases or travellers, and the authorities are treating it as community seeding.
Almost all of the community restrictions that were in place in last spring's lockdown are now back in force. The lockdown is of "indeterminate" length and the first review will come in two weeks time.
"We cannot find an apparent link to the four cases," said Dr Nicola Brink. "There are three adults and one teenager being managed at home.
However, anyone who was at the Ship & Crown or Crow's Nest between 18 and 20 January are being asked to contact Public Health for a test, following contact tracing. Please email rather than call on testresults@gov.gg.
Pictured: Public Health Director Dr Nicola Brink at the live media briefing. She said the four cases were from different households and were all symptomatic.
Schools, colleges and early years providers will close except for vulnerable students and children of essential workers.
Elective surgery has been postponed, care home visits have been stopped, while restaurants and other non-essential business are not allowed to operate.
Parents and staff of year 8 pupils at St Sampson's are also being contacted, we are told.
The clear message is for people to stay at home. CCA Chairman Peter Ferbrache: "We have done this once and together we can do this successfully."
People should stay at home unless they are seeking medical care, carrying out essential shopping for food or supplies, or for up to two-hours exercise outdoors, with other members of their households unless they live alone in which case they can exercise with one member of another household while socially distanced.
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