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ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT (DANGEROUS INFECTIOUS DISEASE) (AMENDMENT)
(NO. 15) REGULATIONS 2021
STATUTORY INSTRUMENT
2021, NO. 83
ARRANGEMENT
Regulation
1. Citation and commencement ………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
2. Interpretation ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
3. Extension of measures introduced by the Public Health Act (Dangerous Infectious Disease)
(Amendment) (No. 14) Regulations 2021 ………………………………………………………………………… 4
4. Amendment of Regulation 5A of principal Regulations …………………………………………………. 4
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT (DANGEROUS INFECTIOUS DISEASE) (AMENDMENT) (No. 15) REGULATIONS 2021, made by the Board pursuant to Section 102 of the Public Health Act, Cap. 353.
1. Citation and commencement
(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Public Health Act (Dangerous Infectious Disease) (Amendment) (No. 15) Regulations, 2021.
(2) These Regulations shall come into effect immediately upon publication in the Gazette.
2. Interpretation In these Regulations
– “principal Regulations” means the Public Health Act (Dangerous Infectious Disease) Regulations 2020, Statutory Instrument No. 16 of 2020.
3. Extension of measures introduced by the Public Health Act (Dangerous Infectious Disease) (Amendment) (No. 14) Regulations 2021
(1) The several amendments introduced into the principal Regulations by the Public Health Act (Dangerous Infectious Disease) (Amendment) (No. 14) Regulations 2021 are hereby extended until the 27th day of September, 2021 unless sooner amended by the Board.
4. Amendment of Regulation 5A of principal Regulations
Regulation 5A of the principal Regulations is amended as follows –
(a) in paragraph 3 (Mandatory Curfew) at subparagraph (3) by inserting immediately after “(ac)” the following:
“(ad) Members of the Central Board of Health and Employees of CBH in the course of their duties;”
(b) in paragraph 4A(1) and 4C(1) by repealing the words “10th September, 2021 and replacing these with the words “27th September, 2021”.
(c) in paragraph 8 (Education and religious instructions), by repealing the paragraph and the related subheading in its entirety and replacing it as follows:
“8. Regulations applicable to Educational instructions
(1) For the period 13th September 2021 to 4th October 2021, schools shall be permitted to open for face to face instructions on condition that the Principal, teaching staff, auxiliary staff and eligible students are fully vaccinated.
(2) Where the conditions specified in subparagraph (1) are not met in relation to any school, educational instructions shall be delivered via a digital platform approved by the Ministry of Education.
(3) From 4th October 2021 and for the remainder of the school term thereafter, schools shall be permitted to offer face to face instructions on condition that –
(i) all teachers are fully vaccinated; or
(ii) unvaccinated teachers are able to provide the Chief Medical Officer with evidence of being negative for COVID-19 every two weeks.
(4) Fortnightly Covid-19 testing for all teachers throughout the State may be done free of cost at a government approved facility.
(5) Notwithstanding the provisions outlined herein, the Ministry of Education may, on the advice of the Board, close any school and halt face to face instructions where the COVID-19 situation requires that this action be taken in the interest of the health and safety of the staff and students at the school.”
(d) by inserting immediately after paragraph 8 the following new paragraph:
“8A. Regulations applicable to churches and places of worship
(1) Effective immediately, attendance at all places of worship are limited to 25 persons.
(2) No church or other place for religious instructions shall host any activity with more than twenty-five persons in attendance.”
(e) In paragraph 9 (Restrictions on social gathering) by repealing subparagraph (2) and replacing it with the following: “(2) Except for State Funerals, all funeral services and wedding ceremonies, howsoever and wheresoever conducted, shall be limited to a maximum of twenty-five (25) persons who shall observe all the requirements of these Regulations.”
Made the 10th day of September, 2021
Eustace Lake
Chairman of the Central Board of Health