Restrictions for omicron direct contacts "hopefully" lifted this week

Monday 20 December 2021

New covid restrictions requiring direct contacts of anyone who has tested positive for the omicron variant having to isolate for 10 days could come to an end as early as this week.

As of Friday, 25 islanders were isolated as direct contacts of someone who has tested positive for the new variant.

Writing to business representatives on Friday, Economic Development Minister Lyndon Farnham told them: “I am also hopeful that the temporary requirement for direct contacts of Omicron positive cases to isolate will be removed early next week, and I am working with ministers and officials to that end.”

Facing an urgent question from Senator Kristina Moore in the States Assembly that afternoon, Chief Minister Senator John Le Fondré did not commit to this, but said that it was on the agenda of the Government’s scientific advisers on Monday.

Pleased to see @lyndonfarnham responding quickly to our requests for support from @jerseychamber members. pic.twitter.com/nMb2n5if47

— Jersey Chamber (@jerseychamber) December 17, 2021

“We have asked STAC to consider the matter, and they will come back to us after Monday,” he said. “I can assure the public that we will keep the matter actively under review.

“The whole principle was slowing that early stage of the variant and it is at what point we consider the balances of harms means it’s better to lift the restrictions rather than maintain them. 

"Those restrictions were announced on 30 November and it is three weeks today since the World Health Organisation declared this variant.

"We do want to do it calmly, we want to do it within the context of Jersey. Senator Farnham has acted absolutely appropriately, and if business support is required, it will be given.” 

The suggestion that the isolation period may be lifted for direct contacts comes after Ministers U-turned on the rule that all positive omicron cases and their direct contacts would not be allowed two hours' outdoor daily exercise as a further precautionary measure to limit the more transmissible variant's spread.

After the policy was blasted by some islanders on social media as "draconian", it was lifted.

Pictured: Ministers lifted the "draconian" outdoor exercise rule for omicron cases and their direct contacts following public criticism.

A Government spokesperson said in a statement: "Following discussions across the Government, Minsters have agreed that in the light of the current resilience of our healthcare services, and having considered the overall impact on islander’s mental and physical wellbeing, all omicron positive cases and direct contacts of an omicron positive case should be permitted to take two hours' daily outdoors exercise, during the period of their isolation.

"This means that all omicron positive cases and direct contacts of omicron cases, who are currently isolating for 10 days from contact with a positive case, can now take two hours outside for daily exercise."