Jersey post-Covid strategy announced

Jersey States released its Covid strategy including downscaling from the emergency phase of the pandemic

The Government of Jersey is scaling down its response to Covid-19 as the island moves away from the emergency phase of the pandemic.

High uptake of vaccinations and lower disease severity has enabled the new strategy, the States said.

Islanders with symptoms or a positive lateral flow test (LFT) will be offered free PCR tests until at least June.

Free LFTs will also continue until June and mandatory self-isolation will be removed before the end of March.

However, until that time, islanders must continue to isolate when they receive a positive PCR test result, the government said.

Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf, said: "The strong position the island is now in is due to the high uptake of vaccination, and the reduced risk posed by the current dominant variant, Omicron."

Additional moves announced in the strategy include:

• Vulnerable Islanders will be able to access new free community-based treatments

• Clinical pathways to support those living with long Covid

• The frequency of Covid routine data reporting will be reduced from daily to weekly before the end of March

• Vaccination will continue to be delivered through a centralised vaccination model including spring vaccination doses to eligible islanders and vaccination for 5 to 11-year-olds.

Further Covid recovery projects include providing additional support for 0 to 5-year-olds whose normal development has been affected by the pandemic.

Access to dental health care for primary school children who have had dental care delayed will also be tackled.

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