Governor Silvestri 2020-05-04
Summary of Facebook Live Chat by Governor Silvestri at 2020-05-04 09:30 (starts at 02:40).
This 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.
Mondays donation summary is being pushed to 15:00 Tuesday due to schedule conflicts.
COVID-19
Test results:
- Still at zero cases of COVID-19 on the Bay Islands
- Only 3 departments free of COVID-19 at this time, Bay Islands is one of them
- 33 tests completed
- 3 on Utila
- 1 on Guanaja
- Population of Utila and Guanaja is approximately 20,000. This is not enough
Cases:
- 1,000 in mainland
- 700 in Cortez (where San Pedro Sula is)
Equipment:
- Still trying to get equipment, it’s very difficult to get though as all countries are hoarding.
- Need PCR readers, main issue is getting them to the Bay Islands due to global demand.
Testing locations:
- Tegucigalpa
- San Pedro Sula
Bringing people back to the islands vs opening up locally:
- These goal conflict. We can’t open up locally and bring people who may be infected with COVID-19 back onto the islands.
- If we get a case on the islands, there will be a much stricter lock down than what we have today.
- There’s no authority/jurisdiction to open locally without permission from central government
Travel
Getting people back home to the Bay Islands
- Was a protest, understands the anger. Right to protest and agree that people should be able to come home. Problem is getting the equipment to be able to do so responsibly.
- In order to protect people in the Bay Islands, need to have plans for many
different scenarios
- Example given for the negative side: plane brings in 18 people, put them in a hotel, everyone wears biosecurity gear. If one person has COVID-19, then instead of being a quarantine centre, it’s a mini hospital and there’s only about 200 health workers for the entire Bay Islands. This will pull resources from clinics and hospitals to deal with the situation.
- Hospital is dealing with 24/7 issues right now, lots more accidents.
- Preferred protocol: people arrive on plane, everyone gets tested and then they can go home.
- Currently limited manpower, managing a 14 day quarantine would be difficult (especially if someone come over infected)
- Financial oversight committee is looking into renting space off of the islands for doing quarantine
- The governor also has family stuck on the mainland who want to come back
Cruise ships:
- Expect them to implement testing before people board
Guanaja and Utila brought people in, why not Roatan:
- Recommendation was not to, but local authorities made the decision to anyway
People coming from Cayman Islands:
- These people are going to La Ceiba
Estimate of travel being open:
- United have flights scheduled for the end of May, but not entirely sure
Health protocols:
- No scheduled flights in, once those are scheduled we’ll discuss protocols with them
Utila Ferry to Roatan:
- Going to look into that as soon as the Bay Islands are opened up locally
Repatriation flights to the UK:
- No more flights that they know of
General
New measures:
- 1 number per day over a 10 day period (Saturday and Sunday are forbidden)
- So we get to do shopping every other week
- Pulperias and small community stores are still open until 20:00 every day
for everyone within walking distance (1 km).
- Can go to the closest one if there are none within walking distance.
- Local officials are fighting for exceptions for the Bay Islands
- Governor recommends getting friends to do shopping for each other to manage the two week
Government organisation summary:
- Government in Honduras is either federal or local, there’s not really much state infrastructure.
- Governor has very little authority locally, but can still work on our behalf
- Governor is appointed
Federal help for the Bay Islands:
- Plan is to pay 56% of salaries for those in the tourism industry.
- This hasn’t been fully approved yet. Will let us know when it’s approved.
- Recommend working with chamber of commerce and Bay Islands tourism bureau
Communication for those without social media:
- Broadcast on TV
- Talking to community leaders
Seeing a doctor:
- If you’re sick, you’re allowed to go
Goods into the islands:
- As of now, still receiving all supplies
- Customs is not impacted
- No plan to limit cargo incoming, especially food
Getting vaccines for children:
- Some cargo boats have refrigeration, talk to them
Dive Shops:
- Asking for exceptions, still waiting on federal government
Keeping roads open:
- This is national, not municipal police
Police for crime instead of ID:
- Crime is a higher priority for the police than checking IDs
- Relying on help from people to report issues
- Roatan detention centres are packed, still arresting people as necessary though
Protesting:
- Please don’t block all lanes so that people can still get shopping etc done
- Protests are also mass gatherings which are dangerous
- If you’re protesting, stay on the sides of the road or the police will move you
- Governor has already met with these people 6 times
Masks:
- Roatan Mayors office is working on a way to get masks to those who can not afford to get masks