Governor Silvestri 2020-04-13

Summary of Facebook Live Chat by Governor Silvestri at 2020-04-13 15:45

The is a transcript of the English transmission. There is also a Spanish transmission which I do not translate.

Note that it’s been re-ordered and some repetition collapsed.

Facebook decided not to show me the live stream until after the official summary was out, it can be found here and has been incorporated into these notes.

Donations

Matching Donation:

• Reminder that anything donated to the foundation will be doubled as of Friday. Every donation is needed, no matter how small.

Fundraising:

• Current total (excluding the amount pledged for matching): USD 183,860; HNL 4,561,033
  • Including the matching funds: USD 228,060
  • USD 4,200 came in since the match was announced.
  • USD 45,800 USD still available as matching funds
• https://themakeitcountfoundation.org/
• Donate to the foundation you’re most comfortable with, there are many (for example the Sol International).

Oversight committee:

• Organisation has been concluded.
• Will start spending soon
• Attempting to avoid duplication of work (e.g. there’s a lot of groups handing out food)
• Current focus of these funds:
  • Test kits
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Ventilators
  • An X-Ray machine

Utila fundraising:

• http://www.SupportUtila.org
• If you are on Utila in need of food, Tylenol or Aspirin, please send a message to @SupportUtila on Facebook

COVID-19

Quarantine breech:

• This person left a boat and tried to buy something at a market
• They are now in custody and will be in quarantine for at least 14 days.
• They are being tested, we don’t yet know their status.
• Please continue to report any attempts to breach the quarantine.

Testing:

• All 27 tests that have been done have come back negative
• The person who was working on the cargo ship and is in quarantine has been tested and we’re waiting on the test results.
• Gearing up to do more testing as doing bulk rapid testing is the most effective approach globally.
• Working on getting more test kits.
• Looking to test people coming into the islands for COVID-19 as a way of keeping us safe once the islands do open up to inbound travel.

Olympic wrestler who was in quarantine:

• He has completed quarantine and returned to his family
• Test for COVID-19 came back negative

Bonacca and other areas with minimal healthcare availability:

• There’s a place that can be used as a containment centre if someone does get it.
• There’s also a protocol setup to manage it.

Test kit reliability:

• This is why there’s only been one place to analyse the test kits until recently (there are now 2, San Pedro Sula recently started).
• It is also part of why it takes so long, the protocol is highly reliable.

Travel

Airlines returning to Roatan:

• There are discussions happening. Many airlines are mentioning June at the moment.
• Be flexible as things are changing daily due to the pandemic and June may not end up panning out.
• Currently cruise ships are talking about returning around July.
• The US keeps on being used as an example as that’s one of the most common bridges into the Bay Islands from all over the world. Thus, it’s an important factor for tourism in the Bay Islands.
• Toronto will likely open at the same time as the USA

Returning to the islands:

• Mayor specific decision. Most islands are not permitting anyone returning.
• Utila is allowing some people to return via a quarantine in the Cays.
• Working on the protocol to bring everyone else back

Immigration:

• When the state of emergency is lifted, everything will open. Currently the 19th of April, but that’s changing daily.
• Don’t yet have a date for it opening for residency renewal

Police COVID Testing:

• When the police who came in from the mainland get back to the capital they will be tested and the results will be shared.

General

Reminder that updated shopping days for pharmacies, petrol stations, supermarkets and banks come into effect today. Please see the curfew page

RADAR system:

• Roatan has a RADAR to detect incoming boats with a 90 km radius and so covers Cayos, Utila and the mainland.
• This was a community effort.
• Marine merchant and navy are linked up to this to keep people safe.

Restaurants are not yet permitted to open for deliveries.

Still working on plan to open locally. Discussion on Sunday with central government, but haven’t yet got a date.

Property taxes:

• Mayors office was open today, if it’s open you can pay taxes.
• There was an incident so it might not be open tomorrow but they’re trying to keep it open.

Drivers License renewal:

• Can be renewed in Los Puertos Bays
• No new licenses are being issued
• Police are also permitting expired licenses to be used at this time

Snorkelling:

• Please talk to local community boards, just like for diving and fishing

People on beaches:

• Beaches are supposed to be closed, there have been issues enforcing this.