Governor Silvestri 2020-06-06

Summary of Facebook Live Chat by Governor Silvestri at 2020-06-06 08:30

Starts at 02:00

The Spanish transmission can be found here

Reopening

Week starting Monday June 8:

• Mon-Fri 07:00 - 17:00
  • Shorter than before, but now dictated by central government instead of local government
• Sat/Sun closed, no circulation
  • Groceries, pharmacies, restaurants can do deliveries on the weekend
• Still using ID digit system restricting who can go out
  • There will be a document over the weekend which tells us which number will be used on Monday. It will probably be 6 as last week was 1-5.
  • Yes, this means that if your household has different numbers each member can only go to restaurants on their allocated day.
• Region 1:
  • Guanaja
  • Santos Guardiola
  • Utila
  • 60% of the workforce can go back to work
• Region 2:
  • Roatan:
  • 40% of the workforce can go back to work
• Regions are defined based on population density
• Workers can travel to work on any day (including weekends) with a salvo conducto
• National police are enforcing these laws

Visiting the doctor for a medical appointment:

• That’s a medical emergency, you’re free to go

Staged opening details:

• Things are changing too much right now to know for sure, will let us know as they learn more
• Government has the full plan. It hasn’t yet been approved yet but will be shared as soon as it is.

Differences in previous and current rules:

• Previous was done by local government, this is being done by central government

Churches:

• Same hours as everyone else, Mon-Fri 07:00 - 17:00

Flights:

• Needs to be negotiated with the airlines

Government offices:

• Some will be open this week
• National registry is planning to be open
• Governors page will list government offices as they do open

Businesses:

• Any business can be open 07:00 - 17:00 as long as following biosecurity measures
• Employees can be home by 18:00
  • Close business by 17:00, staff can go home after that
  • Employees need to be in uniform
• Concerns about the viability of opening with only 10% of the population should be sent to the central government (for example, via their Facebook pages).
• Chamber of tourism has been very helpful in getting salvo conducto, especially for those who don’t speak Spanish
• Salvo conducto are only required for staff so that they can avoid arguments with police while traveling to and from work

School:

• Not sure yet

COVID-19

COVID-19 Cases:

• Only one case confirmed at this time
  • This person is asymptomatic, they seem healthy even though they’re sick and can spread COVID-19
  • He is still in quarantine
• Several suspected cases
  • Don’t count towards final numbers until PCR confirmation
• Taking precautions (quarantine) for anyone who comes positive via rapid response

COVID-19 Treatment:

• MAIZ:
  • Low to medium symptoms
  • Microdacyn, Azithromycin, Ivermectina and Zinc
• Catracho:
  • Medium to severe symptoms, those who need to go to hospital
  • Colchicine, Anti-inflammatory, Toz tocilizumab, Ivermectin, Anticoagulant, Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine , High flow O2 (high flow oxygen) and Pronation.
• These protocols are speculative, but it’s what we have today
  • Only to be used as needed and safe (e.g. not heart patients)
• Treatment hotline: +504-8820-2444
  • Anyone can call this if you have symptoms, don’t have to be Honduran
  • Need to start treatment as soon as possible if it’s possible you might have COVID-19

Outstanding tests:

• Last batch of 7 all came back negative
• More (governor can’t remember how many) have been sent for verification
• See the federal government press releases for updated numbers

Getting definite PCR result:

• Only two labs, sometimes 3 days sometimes a week
• 2,500 outstanding tests across country

Ventilators and respiratory therapists:

• 1 therapist on Roatan
• VPAP machines, most of which will be at the COVID-19 treatment center and hospital
  • Private sector also has ventilators
• Machines will also be available to other islands as needed
  • The machines are very portable and easy to move between islands
• More machines arriving next Friday

Quarantine:

• 5-6 centers running
• Lots of people (governor won’t say how many) in quarantine today
• Hotel:
  • Not owned by governor, no affiliation
  • Owned by a foreigner
  • Those who could not afford the hotel have been quarantined in a place that is providing them free quarantine
• People are finishing their time in quarantine and getting out
  • The person who tested positive is still being held for safety
• Once the islands have completely opened up, the idea is that people will be able to quarantine at home
  • This will be officially answered once the plan is finalised

Roatan hospitals COVID-19 ready:

• One public hospital, it’s as ready as can be
• Private hospitals are all COVID-19 ready
• COVID-19 Treatment Center will be the main place those with COVID-19 are treated
  • The center has 30 beds and the ability to have 30 more added

Travel

July:

• 15 July is when whole country will be open
• Border is a different topic and expectations are constantly changing
• Airport and cruise ships don’t have dates yet
  • Won’t announce dates for people to come in until sure it’s going to happen to avoid people getting disappointed by canceled travel plans.
  • Once dates are known, will share widely in order to attract international tourism

Returning islanders:

• Next trip is being planned for soon, meeting on Monday to put the list together
• Goal is to get all islanders back before opening
• People can enter Guanaja and Utila, each municipality has its own procedures for allowing returning islanders and putting them through quarantine
• Property owners will be able to return before tourists but after islanders

Visas:

• When immigration opens you’ll be able to renew.
• No charges or need to renew your visa until crisis is over

Flights to Grand Cayman:

• No flights to the Cayman Islands
• Cayman to Honduras repatriation operation is also suspended

Utila to Roatan medical transport:

• People are only being transported to Roatan for medical treatment if Roatan has the capability to treat them.
• Pregnant lady was attended to in the Roatan hospital recently, as an example
• Those with COVID-19 will all be transported to Roatan as that’s where the treatment center is
• Quarantine is being handled on an island by island basis

Flights into Honduras:

• Situation changes all the time
• Airlines frequently put up flights and then remove them when the authorisation is not given
• Need to wait until we have the official date

General

Donation of machines:

• VPAP machines donated this week, can be converted to ventilators
• This type of machine is used in New York

Information about islands other than Roatan:

• No one in local government is giving the governor any information
• Ask the municipal authorities to communicate
• Governor has agreed to intercede for Utila

Spray Tunnels:

• Press release by mayors office which says they are not required, you can show this.

Post office:

• The post office is open

Enforcing all businesses checking numbers, not just banks:

• Governor suggests this is currently beyond their capabilities to enforce