No Funeral Services From August 25 to September 7

No funeral services will be allowed during the period August 25 to September 7, as the Government moves to contain the current spike in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement during a digital press conference on Thursday (August 19), where he outlined new coronavirus (COVID-19) containment measures.

Mr. Holness said, however, that burials will be allowed during the same period with a maximum of 15 persons at the burial site including mourners, officiating clergy, gravediggers and undertakers.

Burials will only be allowed Mondays to Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for 30 minutes. However, no burials will be allowed on no movement days.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said no church service will be held on Sunday, August 22 which is the first of the newly imposed no movement days to curb the latest surge in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Jamaica.

The no movement days are: Sunday, August 22; Monday, August 23; Tuesday, August 24; Sunday, August 29; Monday, August 30; Tuesday, August 31; and Sunday, September 5.

The Prime Minister noted, however, that on Sunday, August 29 and Sunday, September 5, places of worship will be allowed to have 20 persons physically present in the building in order to allow for the transmission of online services. These persons who leave home on these days are required to carry their identification (ID) cards.

Mr. Holness pointed out that that no crusades, conferences and conventions will be permitted during this period.

For weddings, he said no more than 20 people will be permitted to physically attend. “Persons physically attending annual or extraordinary general meetings will be restricted to 20 persons. No physical attendance at any event hosted by the Government will be permitted and this will start as at next Wednesday,” he said

He said the general public gathering limit remains at 10. “It is very limited now because the transmission rate is high,” he said.

Additionally, he said the existing work from home directive in the public sector is being extended until September 7.

“Permanent secretaries and heads of agencies are directed to strictly ensure that only persons who work in critical service delivery and the nature of the work requires that the job functions be performed at the physical location [should be] at the office,” he said.

He appealed to members of the private sector to ensure only persons who cannot work from home to be at the workplace.

In the meantime, Mr. Holness said persons seeking urgent medical attention, travelling overseas or to vaccination sites will be allowed to travel on no movement days, given that sufficient evidence is provided.

He noted too that essential workers with IDs are exempt from no movement restrictions. “Ensure that you have on your person, your work ID to present to the police and even in this group, those persons who can work from home should do so and only travel if necessary.”

The Prime Minister said the tighter measures are necessary given the rise in case numbers, hospitalisations and its impact on the health system. “These are beyond the capacity of the health system to manage. I urge all Jamaicans to cooperate and to do their part. We all need to work together as one family to get this third wave under control so that we can start the reopening of our schools,” he said.