Government will be introducing a weekend curfew, as part of efforts to further restrict unnecessary movement, which has been deemed a contributing factor to the spread of COVID-19.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, made the announcement during today’s press briefing, as he expressed concern about persons who appeared to be “leaving home for the sake of leaving home”.

Referring to the high volume of traffic on the island’s roads during the “period of pause”, Minister Bostic said he made a recommendation to the Prime Minister and the Emergency Operations Centre, “to do a little more” to significantly inhibit travel throughout the island, particularly over this weekend.

“This is a major part of the problem…. Accordingly, the Attorney General will very shortly be issuing a new directive, in which we shall impose a weekend curfew, whereby effective Friday 7:00 p.m. to Monday 6:00 a.m., it shall be unlawful for persons not in possession of the appropriate pass, or not involved in the vaccination exercise, either as a service provider or recipient of the vaccine to leave the confines of their homes.

“Simply put, if you are not directly involved in Operation Seek and Save or the National Vaccination Exercise, and if you are not coming from a medical facility on legitimate business, then you shall have absolutely no permission to be on the roads of Barbados from Friday 7:00 p.m. to Monday 6:00 a.m.,” he revealed, adding that the pending ban also applies to beaches and public parks.

The Health Minister noted that the Royal Barbados Police Force would be “instructed to apprehend and prosecute all persons violating this order”.