New Amsterdam on COVID-19 virus lockdown

Last Updated on Sunday, 29 March 2020, 23:00 by Writer

The municipal government of New Amsterdam on Sunday ordered an immediate total lockdown of businesses and religious services in that East Berbice town in order to ward off the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus.

Residents are asked to be indoors by 7pm, the council said.

The Council said, “failure to comply with the new guidelines, the Guyana Police Force will be informed, to take necessary action.”

“All churches, mandirs and mosques and other Religious groups are asked to cease hosting their respective services, until further notice,” the New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council said.

With respect to pensioners, the Mayor and Town Council said its monthly outreach at the New Amsterdam Post office on April 1, has been cancelled.

The Council has also immediately prohibited the opening of all bars, rum shops, fish shops, hangout spots, beauty parlours—hair salons, barbers, tattoo and piercing shops.

That announcement was made even as Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) health officials awaited the results of tests conducted on a 78-year-old woman and several persons she had been in contact with.

Most affected would be all businesses on the busy commercial thoroughfare of Pitt Street as they were ordered to close immediately. The council said the main shopping area would be sanitised from Tuesday.

Only pharmacies would be allowed to open until 6pm, and restaurants would be allowed to open until 4pm but only for take-away/take-out service. The new closing time for supermarkets, and grocery shop owners is 4:30pm, but managers are being asked to “carefully monitor the intake of customers.”

The Town Council said the New Amsterdam Market would be closed at noon on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The market will be closed on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The Town Council said only persons selling essential products, such as green and yellow vegetables, fruits, and meats would be allowed to vend in the market. Vendors selling non-essential items, such as clothing and shoes will not be permitted to do business, the council added.

The New Amsterdam Town Council said its business complex would be closed on Monday only for sanitisation. New Amsterdam Mayor Winifred Haywood, has advised residents to eat healthful foods to build their immune system, and in so doing fight the COVID-19 virus.