YESTERDAY’S STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF MINISTER

It will not be lost on you that the number of people presently reported as having been detected as being positive with the virus is very low indeed. We have only four infected individuals detected.

Our success in keeping that number low may be our greatest challenge in persuading you that the lockdown rules must continue.

But as we start to do more random testing, we will likely find many more asymptomatic carriers are present in our community.

So please do not think that we have beaten the virus.Do not think it is now safe to go out with impunity. It is NOT. I want to be blunt, clear and honest with you:

The virus is out in our community and you would be foolish to relax your attitude to remaining safe indoors because the sun is shining or the numbers of infections detected is low.

And also remember that the virus is out in abundance in Spain and in the United Kingdom, from where we will see people access Gibraltar – perhaps, subject to some controls in the future.

LOCKDOWN RENEWED

For that reason, as we agreed on Monday and I announced with the Leader of the Opposition, we have overnight renewed the lockdown rules affecting all of our population.

The new regulations will take effect from today and have already been passed into law by the Minister for Civil Contingencies, Samantha Sacramento.

So please be clear – THE LOCKDOWN RULES CONTINUE. The new rules have been passed into effect for another 30 days.

But they will be reviewed every Monday.

Remember I have told you that we will not allow these rules to remain in place for one moment longer than is necessary. But neither can they be lifted – in whole or in part – one moment before we are able to confidently lift them.

REVIEWS

And so, on Monday, we will review not just the rule relating to the over 70s, but also the rules relating to the general population that we have renewed today.

Remember also that in Gibraltar our rules have been designed to be more permissive than elsewhere. Here, you have always been able to go out for exercise if you are under 70 and children have always been able to go out at last once each day.

EXIT STRATEGY

That is why we are designing a bespoke exit-strategy for Gibraltar, which we expect to be able to publish very soon.

In preparing that strategy we will be following the recommendations set out by the World Health Organisation. And we will have regard also to the advice and strategy being pursued in England, in Scotland, in Germany and in Spain as well as in other countries and areas.

We are look at every relevant piece of advice and example to prepare the best bespoke and most effective strategy for Gibraltar.

But let us be clear: That strategy is not going to be about returning to normal. Because we cannot return to normal for now.

It is going to be about living with the virus for now. Social distancing is therefore unfortunately here to stay.

That will potentially mean temperature testing at entry points to Gibraltar or entry to businesses being controlled also with temperature access controls or areas of Gibraltar being controlled by temperature access controls.

This may also involve guidance on the use of masks going forward.

It will likely involve a very different way of going to the beach this summer and it will involve people being encouraged to self-identify if they have the symptoms of the virus and to self-isolate without fear of financial loss when they do so.

The future may also involve very aggressive testing and even more aggressive contact tracing and where necessary the imposition of self-isolation. It may involve new apps deployed on your phones.

We are already talking to the UK Department of Health and Google and Apple about these opportunities via colleagues in the Foreign Office with whom we have been working closely during the course of this public health emergency.

Additionally, we may also bring into use other technologies which we already have in place in Gibraltar, like our GIS system or our NSCIS systems being brought in to play to work together.

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24-04-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR