Rebecca Thorn
BBC News

Image source, Government of Jersey

Jersey's medical officer of health Dr Susan Turbull has announced she will be retiring after 40 years of public service.

The Government of Jersey said recruitment would start "shortly" for the role, with Dr Ivan Muscat continuing to lead the island's medical response to the pandemic.

Dr Turnbull has been the island's medical officer of health for nine years, after moving to Jersey in 2006.

She said now was "the right time" to return to the UK to spend time with her family.

"I've had a wonderful, varied career and have been privileged to serve the island for the last 14 years," she said.

"I'm confident that the island remains in safe hands with the expert advice of Dr Ivan Muscat and the medical leadership of Mr Patrick Armstrong to help steer our health services."

Dr Turnbull only recently returned to her role in April following a period of sick leave.

She was responsible for the island's response to the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, as well as delivering an innovative immunisation programme and improved initiatives for bowel screening.

Minister for Health and Social Services Deputy Richard Renouf thanked Dr Turnbull for her "dedicated service" to the island.

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News

An assessment of Jersey's land and seascape will be used to help shape the island plan.

The Jersey Integrated Landscape and Seascape Character Assessment (ILSCA) updates the work of the 1999 Jersey Countryside Character Appraisal.

It describes the changes to the island's coastal seascapes and landscapes over the past 20 years, as well as offering recommendations on how to protect these areas for the future.

The report, produced by Fiona Fyfe Associates, is intended for use by planners, land and marine managers, developers, local people and community organisations.

The Minister for Environment Deputy John Young said it would prove a "critical tool" for future policy-makers.

The report can be read in full on the government website., external

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News

Jersey's contact tracing app has been downloaded more than 21,000 times since its launch on Wednesday.

The app can be used to alert a person if they have been in close contact with an infected individual using their phone's bluetooth.

Jersey's health authorities are encouraging as many people as possible to download it.

Dr Ivan Muscat, deputy medical officer of health, said its effectiveness would increase as more people used it.

The app doesn't require any personal information, and does not track a person's location, Digital Jersey chief executive Tony Morretta said.

BBC Radio Jersey

The airport handling company Swissport is making 30 staff redundant in Jersey as a result of the effects of coronavirus.

The company, which employed 100 people, had been in discussion with unions about the future of its workforce.

Now it has confirmed that 24 people have taken voluntary redundancy, while 30 others were asked to leave.

A spokesman said the company was "very sorry" for the impact it made on those people.

Deputy medical officer of health Dr Ivan Muscat has reassured islanders Jersey "remains in a strong position to limit the spread" of coronavirus.

He acknowledged Covid-19 cases will rise and "community transmission is to be expected", but public health teams will also "actively survey for asymptomatic infection to prevent onward transmission".

Asked if there was evidence of community transition currently, the Government of Jersey confirmed they were continuing to investigate the issue.

Dr Muscat said: "Our strategy remains to identity and contain isolated cases, prevent and delay spread through robust contact tracing and enforcement, employed alongside public health measures such as, physical distancing, hand washing and wearing masks."

He emphasised the contact tracing team and the new Covid Alert app would assist with keeping on top of the spread of the virus.

Dr Muscat said it was "imperative" people continue to follow public health precautions:

• Wear masks in indoors public places
• Ensure good ventilation
• Maintain a distance of at least 1m from anyone from outside your household
• Wash their hands and touch points regularly.

He added: "Anyone classed as high risk should be assessing their position and choosing activities that present lower risk – in particular they should avoid indoor, crowded places where distancing may be difficult."

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News

A two-day online event has been planned to help islanders and businesses prepare for the end of the Brexit transition period.

The webinar series, organised by the Government of Jersey, will consist of both public and invitation-only industry sessions, focusing on travel, business and trade.

It will be held on 22 and 23 October, ahead of the UK's exit from the EU on 1 January 2021.

External Relations Minister Senator Ian Gorst said the island was preparing for "all potential outcomes".

"Regardless of the outcome of these negotiations, there will be immediate changes for the island from the 1 January 2021.

"We want to ensure that islanders, businesses and affected industries are aware of these changes and have time to prepare for them."

The sessions will be streamed on the government's YouTube and Facebook channels, with a full list of scheduled events available on their website., external

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News

Flights to Birmingham, East Midlands, Manchester, Newcastle and London Stansted will be made available from Jersey next year.

The airline Jet2 has announced its five new routes for islanders, in addition to its existing Leeds Bradford service.

Ports of Jersey chief executive Matt Thomas it was " a real boost" for the tourism industry in the current climate.

Flights to Birmingham, East Midlands, and Newcastle will operate each Saturday between 22 May and 25 September.

To Manchester, a three times weekly service will be offered on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday between 20 May and 25 September.

Those travelling to Stanstead can catch a twice weekly service on Tuesday and Saturday between 25 May and 25 September.

Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture Senator Lyndon Farnham said he was "delighted" by the announcement, which would provide "a great opportunity" for islanders to visit family and friends.

Condor has cancelled high speed sailings from the Poole to Guernsey and Jersey in November.

The suspension follows the re-introduction of two-week quarantine for arrivals into Guernsey and the lower passengers numbers due to Covid-19.

Passengers travelling between the UK and the Islands from 6 November to 3 December are being switched to the Commodore Clipper service from Portsmouth.

The service confirmed a Poole to Guernsey and Jersey sailing will run from 4 December to ensure students are able to return for Christmas, maintaining passenger services over the festive period.

Image source, Condor Ferries

Condor’s CEO Paul Luxon said a "significant increase in cancellations and a similar reduction in new bookings" had followed the reintroduction of the longer self-isolation requirement in Guernsey.

Mr Luxon added: "We remain committed to bringing students home so they can be with their families at such an important time and also to supporting islanders who are booked to travel away over Christmas and new year."

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News

Children returning to Jersey from UK schools will have to take a coronavirus test on day 0 and day five.

The rule will apply to all pupils returning from boarding schools or residential placements regardless of where they are in the UK.

The government said restrictions applying to local regions "do not reflect the level of risk for children" in a school setting.

Returning children will be required to self-isolate until they receive their first negative test result.

A child's admission to Jersey under these rules will require written confirmation that:

• The child has spent the previous 14 days at the school
• The child has had no symptoms in the past 14 days
• The child has not stayed overnight anywhere else on the way to Jersey
• There have been no positive test results in the school for the previous 14 days

It is believed there is less than 100 children from Jersey staying at UK boarding schools.

BBC Radio Jersey

Engineers at Bellozanne and technical experts for the Ports of Jersey are some of the 82 workers who have been given exemptions to come from red covid zones to work in the island without going into full isolation.

Following questions from BBC Radio Jersey, the States has revealed more details of the workers - such as those who arrived earlier this week on a charter flight from Rennes.

Ministers confirmed they had been allowed to start work straight away, despite coming from an area that would usually require a 14-day quarantine.

They have to stay away from any other people, and move only between their workplace and where they are staying.

The authorities have granted 38 exemptions to companies so far - for example for crew to operate specialist machinery which couldn't legally be used by anyone else.

BBC Radio Jersey

The Jersey War Tunnels has lost more than 80% of their usual visitor numbers this year, bosses have said.

There are just a handful of full-time staff working there after the attraction had to turn away seasonal and cafe workers in March because of the Covid lockdown.

General manager Kathy Bechelet said staff hoped locals would support the attraction over the half-term break before it closed again for the winter.

A firefighter has tested positive for Covid-19, the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service has revealed.

The service confirmed one watch of 12 firefighters were affected by positive test the but confirmed there was "appropriate crew cover" despite the case.

A spokeswoman said they we were "prepared for this eventuality", with plans in place to split the watches between the Rouge Bouillon Headquarters and the Western Fire Station.

All staff are being offered proactive screening tests and the service is working with the contact tracing team, she added.

BBC Radio Jersey

Scrutiny leaders in Jersey have welcomed the decision to tighten travel restrictions - but are unhappy they weren't introduced before.

The island's health authorities reclassified many areas of the UK this week, using the traffic light system of risk.

Most became amber, meaning anyone travelling to the region will have to isolate for at least five days when they return.

Deputy Rob Ward from the safer travel scrutiny group says the measures should have been introduced sooner.

He said the island was in a "better position" now, and said faster test results would offer "greater certainty" to those facing isolation.

BBC Radio Jersey

Image source, Google

Children from a second Jersey school have been sent home after a confirmed case of coronavirus.

A positive test result was returned from an individual at St Saviour's Primary School, although the States have not confirmed whether it was a pupil or teacher.

On Tuesday a private school was forced to send students home after another person returned tested positive for the virus.

Mark Rogers, Director General of the Department for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, said a class bubble from St Saviour's had been sent home and those children had been told to self isolate.

"The children in isolation will continue to receive school work and will carry on with their education," he said.

"The premises has been disinfected and the school is continuing to follow the latest Public Health advice."

The app will alert users to any close contact with a person who tests positive for the virus.

BBC Radio Jersey

A problem with a new app designed to tell Jersey people if they have been in contact with someone who tests positive for coronavirus has been fixed after causing problems shortly before its launch.

The Jersey Covid Alert app works on mobile phones, using bluetooth, and can tell anyone they have been been close to someone else running the app who has subsequently tested positive for the infection.

The creators withdrew it for Android phones on Wednesday morning because of a connection problem.

They said that had been fixed and it was again available from app stores.

Image source, States of Jersey

BBC Radio Jersey

Emergency laws could soon force everyone to wear masks in public places in Jersey to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Health Minister Richard Renouf said law draftsmen were finishing off the details before they were debated by the States.

Masks have been optional in the island until now.

When the outbreak began, there was disagreement about how effective they could be in stopping infection spreading. But now experts believe they can play an important role.

Deputy Renouf said he also recognised the calls from some islanders who had wanted masks to be compulsory since the lockdown began.

BBC Radio Jersey

A second person is currently being treated in Jersey's General Hospital for Covid-19.

The person was diagnosed with the virus after travelling into the island, and has since developed symptoms, officials said.

There are now 64 known active cases of coronavirus in Jersey.

Meanwhile, authorities said there was no firm evidence to say a person who tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 10 days picked up the infection from someone else in the island.

On Tuesday, Dr Ivan Muscat told scrutiny politicians the contact tracing team had not yet managed to identify where one person caught the virus from.

BBC Radio Jersey

A new app designed to minimise the transmission of coronavirus in Jersey has been withdrawn for some users just as it was due to start working.

The Jersey Covid Alert app works on mobile phones, using bluetooth, and can tell anyone they have been been close to someone else running the app who has subsequently tested positive for the infection.

But in the last hour the creators have withdrawn it for Android phones because of a connection problem.

Staff said they were working on the problem, and it is expected to be up and running on Wednesday afternoon.

BBC Radio Jersey

Jersey's health minister does not know how long new regional coronavirus restrictions will last after the States announced hundreds more areas of England would be classified amber or red by Saturday.

Just 23 parts of the country are due to remain green, down from 182.

Deputy Richard Renouf said changing the travel policy was an appropriate move in response to rising Covid-19 cases in Britain.

Meanwhile, the whole of France will become red and anyone travelling to Jersey from that country will have to quarantine for two weeks.

Mr Renouf said he accepted that many people's travel plans could be disrupted, but added that tighter controls were unavoidable.