Outdoor gathering limit moves from 500 to 1000

(CMR) The Government has increased the limit for the number of people allowed for outdoor public gatherings from 500 to 1000.

However, there will be no change to indoor gatherings, which remains limited to 500 people.

The recent amendment is part of the new Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 Regulations,  2021.

Under the new regulations, where a venue hosts simultaneous, separate, and unrelated indoor and outdoor gatherings, the total number permitted to gather there is a maximum of 1,500 people, with 1,000 people gathering outdoors and 500 indoors for the event being held in those respective areas.

The amendment to the COVID-19 regulations also includes an extension to boating and inter-island travel regulations from January 31 to April 15.

The new regulations also permit processions and parades involving a uniformed service or a youth organization.

A uniformed service is defined as a naval force, including Coast Guard, a regiment, police force, fire service, and prison service; and a youth organization is specified as (a) Cayman Islands Scout Association; (b) Girls’ Brigade Cayman Islands; (c) Cayman Islands Cadet Corps; (d) Girlguiding Cayman Islands; and (e) Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Pathfinders.

In a release issued on Thursday, the Government said other protocols that remained unchanged from the previous regulations will continue to be in force and need to be followed to ensure that COVID-19 is well managed.

This includes a ban on visiting or having contact with anyone in quarantine, mandatory testing before visiting a residential care home or prison, wearing of masks when using public transportation, businesses being prohibited from allowing hookahs, shishas, or water pipes, and restrictions on rental of certain scuba and snorkeling equipment.

Public transport operators were also reminded that passengers traveling in a taxi or omnibus should be wearing masks when inside the vehicles, including the drivers.