Community in Guernsey 'trusted' with Covid-19 rule changes

Guernsey will becomes the first place in the British Isles to drop all Covid restrictions.

Health bosses in Guernsey expect people to "do the right thing" when Covid restrictions end.

The island is to end compulsory self-isolation for Covid-19 cases and all border restrictions on 17 February.

The Civil Contingencies Authority (CCA) said the rules were no longer proportionate, due to a high vaccine uptake and "very few hospitalisations".

But some clinically vulnerable people raised concerns that not everyone will be considerate.

All positive cases will be requested to voluntarily stay at home for 10 days with early release if they are asymptomatic and Lateral Flow Test (LFT) negative from day five and again 24 hours later.

Dr Nicola Brink, Director of Public Health, said: "We've managed the Omicron wave certainly with public engagement and trust...

"I think a lot of people don't want to put other people at risk... and I think it's trusting our community to do the right thing.

Border restrictions are ending on 17 February

But Rachel Bishop, who is diabetic and registered blind, said the dropping of restrictions was a "real worry".

"There are always going to be those selfish fools who feel it's ok to do what they're going to do," she said.

"For people like myself... I feel incredibly vulnerable when I'm out in the community."

The CCA urged people to stay at home when unwell and said "the need for vigilance" had "not disappeared".

On Wednesday there were 934 known active cases of Covid-19 in the Bailiwick according to official statistics.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) also warned the impact of the last two years will be long lasting for those on the frontline in health.

Sergio Henriques from the RCN said some nurses were "burnt out" and the pandemic has "had a big impact" on them.