Government

Good afternoon Bermuda.

As we reported yesterday, since the last update for testing completed through 18 December, the Ministry of Health received 8,342 test results and 102 were positive for COVID-19, giving a test positivity rate of 1.2%.

This brought the total number of active cases to 152, with 151 under public health monitoring and 1 person in hospital. Unfortunately, testing completed on 19 December resulted in 21 more positive cases.

Where variant typing is available, the majority of our positive cases are now Omicron.

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received8,342 test results and 102 were positive for COVID-19, giving a test positivity rate of 1.2%. 

These results are from testing done on:

Public school teachers and staff will have two additional days for pre-return testing. The initial date of Saturday, January 1^{s t}has been expanded to include Sunday, January 2^nd and Monday, January 3^rd 2022. 

Thank you to the members of the Press who have joined today for my final press conference of 2021. I thought it would be an opportune time, during this season of giving and sharing, to give a further update on some key fiscal and economic matters. However, before I commence my main remarks, I would like to express my sincere appreciation once again to all of our front line and dedicated community workers, who have played a critical role in helping to deal with the challenges related to COVID-19 that we have once again had to be faced with in this year.  

The Department of Education would like to update the public on the process that has been put in place to support the safe return to school of staff and students in January 2022. These same procedures, which were in place when staff returned to school in October and after the November break, require all staff and students to present a negative PCR test result that must be dated within 3-days of entering school buildings. 

The Ministry of Health is advising that additional appointments for vaccine boosters have been added for Pier 6. 

To book a booster appointment, visit www.gov.bm.

The Ministry notes that there are a limited amount of appointments and will be looking to increase the opportunity for booster doses over the next month. 

The Cabinet Office is advising that the application process is currently open for those wishing to serve on Government boards and committees.

The Cabinet Office notes that Expression of Interest (EOI) forms are now available on the Government website and can be completed and submitted electronically.

The EOI forms can be accessed at https://forms.gov.bm/Departments/The-Cabinet-Office/Expression-of-Interest.

Good afternoon Bermuda,

The St. Georges community and the rest of the island are shocked at the news of the senseless death of yet another young man.

This death hits home as I knew the young man well. Today, I grieve with the family who are my constituents, my neighbours, my friends. My heart aches for them, their children, the grandparents and extended family
I condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and offer my condolences to his family at this difficult time.

The Minister for National Security will speak in a press conference this afternoon with the Bermuda Police Service to update the public on the investigation into the death of a 23-year-old male early this morning.

Minister Ming said, “I extend my deepest condolences to the family of this young man, who is this afternoon coming to terms with this tragedy. 

Good afternoon.

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 4,124 test results, and 31 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 0.8%. Of the 47 active cases where typing is available, 34% (16) are Delta, 60% (31) are Omicron. We have a total of 62 active cases.

The deadline for persons to send in their submissions to serve on the National Youth Policy’s Working Group (NYP) has been extended to December 19.

The public will recall that the Ministry launched the National Youth Policy, a 2020 Throne Speech pledge, last month. The development of the strategy included extensive consultation with a wide range of community groups and partners, including youth representatives from a number of organizations.

Good morning members of the media, 

There is a work stoppage at the Department of Public Transportation concerning the Bermuda Industrial Union’s Bus Division. We believe that the industrial action is unlawful and contrary to section 87(2)(ii) and/or (iii) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 2021. 

A letter has been delivered to the BIU urging them to return to work by noon today. 

The Ministry of Public Works provided an update on the continued works taking place in Paget to reinforce the wall between Lovers Lane and Highwood Lane.

First and foremost, the Ministry of Public Works wishes to thank the public for their patience as these ongoing Harbour Road works continue.

The Ministry is pleased to advise that two-lane traffic will be restored by the middle of January, following road reinforcements.

The focus of this project has been to make the road safe and secure for the public.

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 4124 test results, and 31 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 0.8%.

These results are from testing done on:

•        Sunday: 6 positive out of 923 results (0.7% positivity)

•        Monday: 17 positive out of 1569 results (1.1% positivity)

•        Tuesday: 8 positive out of 1632 results (0.5% positivity)

21 of the new cases are classified as imported with history of travel in the previous 14 days.

Good day to members of the media and the listening public. Thank you for your attendance and for watching this Press Conference.

Many will know that the Bermuda Government, led by the Ministry of Home Affairs, continues to encourage the adoption of solar technologies and energy efficiency. 

The announcement today by Saturn Power Inc. that Bermuda’s first Utility-Scale Solar power facility has officially begun producing energy is exciting news.

HAMILTON, BERMUDA – The Financial Policy Council (FPC) will be holding its next meeting on 16 December 2021.  Similar to the seventeenth meeting which was held on 22July 2021, where all members participated, it is expected that the upcoming meeting will run in a hybrid format.

Thus, some members will join via teleconference, and others will take part in person at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of Health has made an important update to the Amendments to the Quarantine (COVID-19) (No. 3) Order 2020 that went into effect on December 13^th, 2021.

Initially, the requirement was that visitors aged 12 years or older who are not ordinarily resident in Bermuda must be fully immunised to land in Bermuda, whether arriving by air or by sea.

The age has now been changed and all visitors aged18 years, and older who are not ordinarily resident in Bermuda must be fully immunised to land in Bermuda, whether by air or sea.

The Ministry of Health advises the public of a false email message regarding COVID-19 Vaccine appointments.

Please ignore and delete if you have received correspondence entitled New Vaccine Appointment signed by “The COVID-19 Vaccine team,” as shown in the image below. Any email with the simple title “New Vaccine Appointment” may be part of a phishing scam. Official vaccine appointments are sent from the Bermuda Government, via the email address BermudaCovidVaccine@resqwest.com.

The Ministry of Health is holding an additional Flu Express on Saturday, December 18^th 2021, from 9am – 2 pm at the National Stadium Pavilion.

The Flu Express is $15.00 per shot (for both adults and children). Persons over the age of 65 will receive the seasonal flu vaccine free of charge.

Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP, said, “The flu vaccine is a safe and highly effective method of preventing most cases of flu. Side effects are rare and usually mild.

The Government is committed to shaping Bermuda as a centre for innovation.  We have a reputation for innovation in the insurance sector, developing opportunities in Fintech, and we now want to be a centre for innovation in the Energy sector.