COVID-19 update: “Curaçao goes to new normal on May 8; confirmed cases remain at 16”

WILLEMSTAD - Epidemiologist Dr. Izzy Gerstenbluth indicated today that the confirmed cases remains at 16 after 374 people in total were tested.

Dr. Gerstenbluth said that they had in mind to open Curaçao internally on May 11, but the government shifted to an earlier day. “We wanted to give everyone a perspective but tried to arrange everything earlier. So now it was decided to lift the lockdown measures on May 8.”

The epidemiologist explained that they announced a lockdown two times two weeks. That is two times the incubation time. “We do this because someone could infect another person just at the end of the incubation period. Therefore, we opened step by step to see whether there would be no contamination.”

The health care capacity has now also been scaled up. More tests are available and more essential equipment.

“If there is an infection again, will we go into lockdown again? We prefer not to, and that is why this care capacity has been scaled up. So that we can deal with infections, but we hope that this is not necessary. That is why we keep our social distancing rules and we open internally with certain conditions.”

The Curfew remains from 9pm until 6am. The doctor indicated that it is precisely those hours that many people come together. If someone is infected, the virus can spread suddenly.

“We don't want to go into lockdown again, but keep in mind that if the virus does take dangerous forms, it may still be necessary in the future.”




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