“IF we are ever going to trial relaxing quarantine now must be the time,” Chief Medical Officer Dr Beccy Edwards told the Hospital and Medical Service Committee on Wednesday.

She referred to the population being almost fully vaccinated by the end of May – currently 94% of the population has had at least one vaccination.

She added: “because in due course we will potentially see a third wave in the UK. We will see new variants arise, which may or may not mean that our vaccine becomes less effective as we move forward, we don’t know yet. We’re looking into a crystal ball; making it up. But if we are going to start looking at relaxing quarantine now’s the time to do it.”
Dr Edwards added it was really important to note, “this is a good thing.”

She said although there was potential risk from relaxing the Falklands borders, “we have to have faith” the vaccine “works well at making sure people don’t become seriously ill…” She said people would still get Covid-19 but, “it should stop you getting seriously unwell…”

She said that other more indirect risks from Covid-19 were more vital, and these involved the difficulties of getting medical specialists to the Falkland Islands, adding, “we can’t overlook the public health risks that are potentially going to outweigh the Covid risks to us. So we have to look at it as a complete entity, and we really must consider relaxing our quarantine restrictions to make it easier to have a flow people coming in and out.”

UK has its lowest numbers of Covid-19 since the end of summer last year.

Image King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Stanley – Picture Penguin News