Mask mandates return to Jamaica

(CMR) With another wave of COVID-19 affecting Jamaica,  Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the government plans to reinstate the mask-wearing mandate.

Holness said the spread of the coronavirus resulted from a lack of regard for personal space by the people, Jamaica Gleaner reported.

“It is going to be a requirement shortly for all of our citizens to wear their masks. After two years, everyone should know how to behave in order to protect themselves from the virus,” Holness said.

Last week, the Ministry of Education also mandated the wearing of masks in schools effective immediately.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton attributed the rise in COVID-19 cases to the highly transmissable Omicron sub-variant BA 2.

Holness has urged Jamaicans to get vaccinated to protect themselves against COVID-19.

Meantime, health officials in several countries where mask mandates have been lifted have been warning that they could return as COVID-19 cases are again on the rise.

In the US, some school districts have been reinstating mask mandates as a spike in cases in some places around the country puts communities into the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's “high risk” category.

The School District of Philadelphia will again require students and staffers to wear masks beginning Monday. The decision was made in response to rising COVID-19 cases, and at the recommendation of the city's health department, district officials said.

Officials are concerned that relaxed mitigation measures across the country may contribute to a continued rise in infections and illnesses across the country.

Health authorities continue to recommend that people continue to wear face masks as cases rise across the globe. Health officials said that masks are safe and effective at helping prevent the spread of COVID-19.