Antigua PM Urges Citizens to Stay Away from Beaches During the Public Holidays

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has again appealed to nationals to stay away from the beaches during the two-day holiday break that ends next week Tuesday, saying beaches provide the venues for spreading the coronavirus (COVID-19).

“My dear people; let’s reason rationally and not argue. We have 21 confirmed active cases of COVID, which we are working assiduously to contain and prevent community spread in protection of the health of the population,” Browne said in a message posted on his Facebook page.

“Our people have routinely flocked to the beach on public holidays. Recognizing that the potential beach crowding on public holidays represent a significant risk of transmission of COVID; the Cabinet mandated the restrictions of the use of beaches during public holidays, as long as COVID represents a threat to public health.”

He said that beach crowding and the spread of COVID could create a crisis, “resulting in illnesses, deaths and the closure of the country including all of beaches for an extended period.

“How could anyone without ulterior motive, reasonably argue against the closure of beaches on public holidays, to reduce, or eliminate the risks of the transmission of COVID ?,” Browne asked.

CMC