Supermarkets welcome Shoppers on Saturday

Supermarkets welcome Shoppers on Saturday

After the "around-the-clock" curfew of the past three days, supermarkets and a limited number of establishments (including  pharmacies and gas stations) re-opened today, Saturday 28 March. This in line with the Attorney General's regulations outlined at Friday's press conference (see below for details).

Shoppers were seen getting in line as early as 6.30 am as they waited for their turn to enter the supermarket. According to a security officer on the scene, customers arrived as early as 5.30 am to start their grocery shopping,

RCIPS will be working alongside supermarkets and their private security companies to ensure the safe flow of traffic, a smooth flow for customers, as well as the prioritisation and protection of vulnerable individuals. In support of Saturday's efforts, RCIPS Commissioner Derek Byrne issued a statement to news media, accompanied by a video for social media and a message on Radio Cayman.

Commissioner Byrne stated:
"The RCIPS is working in partnership with the supermarkets and retailers to deploy extra uniform patrols at various supermarket locations around the island on Saturday March 28th to create a more positive and safe environment for persons to move around and conduct their business all in compliance with the new Public Health Regulations passed on Friday March 27th.

"Please be assured that the major retailers are well stocked to meet the demands of the community. We remind all members of the community that we are operating in a soft curfew period between 5:01 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. each day for the next 10 days starting Saturday March 28th. Hard curfew from 7:00 p.m. each night continues as previously advised.

"The RCIPS is out to assist and provide public reassurance during this extremely challenging period. We thank the community for their cooperation and continued support as we work through this difficult period to contain COVID19."

Mr. Byrne references new regulations that were passed on Friday, 27 March - the Public Health (Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19) Regulations, 2020 which are available online at http://www.gov.ky/coronavirus. The aim of these measures is to ensure that community spread of COVID-19 within the Cayman Islands is thwarted for the longest possible time. (Community spread means patients have no travel history and no contact with persons that do.)
Regulations are available at: http://www.gov.ky/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/12940549.PDF

For information on various retail establishments, including banks and pharmacies, the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has launched a new website - http://chambercovidupdates.ky
Going forward, this website will be updated daily in line with the private sector response to government's announcements and changes in policy.

Supermarket hours in the curfew period are as follows:
Cost-u-Less 8AM-6PM, Monday through Saturday
Dedicated shopping hour for vulnerable: 7AM to 8AM

Fosters 6AM-6PM, Monday through Saturday
Dedicated shopping hour for vulnerable: 6AM-7AM

Hurleys 9AM - 6PM for the general public
Dedicated shopping for elderly/vulnerable, HSA staff and first responders: 7AM- 9AM

Kirk Market 6AM-6PM, Monday-Saturday, for the duration of the curfew
Dedicated shopping lanes for elderly/vulnerable individuals

Even though the parking lots were filled and the lines were increasingly long, the customers were well behaved and waited patiently at the time of reporting.