Plans to introduce electronic tagging for prisoners on early conditional release in Guernsey have been brought forward, the Committee for Home Affairs (HA) has announced, external.

The timeline has been shortened as part of contingency plans drawn up to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the committee said.

The tagging was initially supposed to be put in place later in 2020, although the committee has not yet revealed an exact date for earlier implementation.

Acting prison governor John de Carteret said it "seemed prudent" to escalate the timeline of the plans in the "fast evolving and ever changing" crisis.

Mr de Carteret said: "I want to stress there are currently no plans for the early conditional release of prisoners, but it would be irresponsible for us not to have the appropriate mechanisms in place should these contingencies need to be implemented."

Another person in Guernsey has died after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the overall total to five, external, the States has revealed.

It has also introduced a new category of "presumptive deaths", which lists two more people likely to have died of Covid-19.

So far 181 people out of 1,287 on the island have tested positive, with 22 results outstanding.

The number of people who have recovered is listed at 38, while three patients are currently undergoing treatment in the hospital.

Guernsey and Alderney airports have again reduced their operating hours, with effect from Thursday until the 31 May.

There are no changes to medevac operations, including the transportation of urgent medical and pathology supplies.

All the below are in British Summer Time (BST).

Guernsey Airport's passenger terminal opening times:

• Weekdays - 10:00 to 19:15
• Saturday - closed
• Sundays- 15:30 to 18:30

The airport's operating hours:

• Weekdays 11:30 to 20:00
• Saturday - 12:30 to 19:30, in order to facilitate cargo aircraft operations
• Sunday - 17:15 to 18:30

Alderney Airport's passenger terminal opening times:

• Weekdays - 11:00 to 19:00
• Saturday - closed
• Sunday - 16:30 to 18:45

The airport's operating hours:

• Weekdays: 11:30 to 19:00
• Saturday - closed
• Sunday - 17:15 to 18:30

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

Alderney politicians are calling for restrictions on takeaways and deliveries of prepared food to be completely lifted.

The island has no confirmed cases of coronavirus, but follows the rules set down by the Civil Contingency Authority (CCA), which represents the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

Alderney politicians have welcomed the relaxation allowing non-essential retailers to deliver goods ordered online or over the phone - announced as the restrictions were extended until 18 April.

A statement from the States of Alderney said it "allows a little more normality to return without a significant increase in the risk of spreading the virus".

Image source, Getty Images

In addition Alderney and the CCA have agreed an exemption system for home deliveries from restaurants that can prove they can apply social distancing in their kitchen and deliver food in a safe and hygienic way.

Those wanting to operate need to set out how they would do so in an email to the island's chief executive Andrew Muter at ceo@alderney.gov.gg, external, who will co-ordinate with the Committee for Health and Social Care over the exemptions.

"We think the availability of prepared food makes a significant contribution to Alderney’s ability to weather this storm," said Mr Muter.

"There is pressure on our meals on wheels service which is working at its peak capacity and there are many people on island who struggle with cooking their own meals and will be delighted that a delivery service will be available again."

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

Image source, Tristan Marchent

The sound of the Embraer jet run by Guernsey-States owned airline Aurigny has heard been heard over the island on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The airline says the flights are purely to ensure up to date crew training so passenger services - such as the suspended Gatwick route - can resume when its is "safe and appropriate to do so".

Image source, Tristan Marchent

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

Image source, Condor Ferries

Condor Ferries has announced a further suspension of passenger sailings up until the middle of May due to the ongoing travel restrictions to and from the Channel Islands.

The company continues to provide freight services but its passenger sailings have been cancelled since 23 March.

"This is a very difficult and inconvenient situation for everyone, as we have now cancelled seven weeks of our busy spring schedule which are so important for the visitor economy and travel for islanders," said Paul Luxon, CEO of Condor Ferries.

"All passengers affected by the cancellations will be offered a rebooking or travel voucher which is valid for 18 months."

He added: "Our contact teams will be extremely busy during this period and we ask for patience due to the unprecedented changes to the schedule."

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

Use of Guernsey's hyperbaric chamber has been suspended until further notice as staff from the Emergency Department assist with its operation and cannot be freed up from work related to the current pandemic.

A spokesman for health said: "All commercial divers in the Bailiwick and Jersey have been advised and commercial diving, other than that required in an emergency, has ceased during the lockdown period."

Jersey's own hyperbaric treatment centre closed in 2018.

The spokesman said: "Even with careful planning and restriction of diving depth, it is not possible to exclude completely the occurrence of diving-related illness such as barotrauma, decompression sickness, immersion pulmonary oedema or (near) drowning."

He warned the resources needed to deal with such conditions were scarce at the current time.

The spokesman said recreational diving in the UK has been suspended and it was not considered exercise and should not be taking place during the two hours of exercise islanders are allowed every day.

He added: "Anyone who ignores this advice and decides to dive needs to be aware that they will require full insurance for medical transfers to the UK as well as any Emergency Department and ambulance charges should they need treatment for decompression illness during this time – creating additional pressure on an already overstretched NHS."

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

There will be no changes to household waste and recycling collections in Guernsey over the Easter weekend bank holidays.

A States spokesman said: "Thursday night collections will go ahead as normal this week, despite coinciding with Good Friday.

"Households in central St Peter Port who normally set out waste and recycling on a Sunday night will also have their normal collection this weekend, even though it coincides with Easter Monday.

"Sunday night’s recycling collection in St Sampson’s is also unaffected."

If you need a reminder of which recyclables to put out then head to gov.gg/mybinnight, external.

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

The Church of England leaders in the Channel Islands are asking people to ring bells at 10:00 on Easter Sunday to celebrate the festival during the coronavirus pandemic.

Churches in the island are closed as clergy members follow local government advice to stay at home with some streaming services on social media.

This means no church bells will be rung over Easter weekend and both deans are inviting islanders to "ring any bells that they may have in their homes" at the same time.

In a joint statement the deans of Guernsey and Jersey said: "Although, for the time being, we cannot use our wonderful buildings or stream services from within them, congregations and clergy across the Channel Islands are using the internet in really creative ways to stream and record services and we look forward to people 'joining' us on Easter Day."

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News Online

The Department of Health and Social Care in Guernsey is asking islanders to "stop putting unhelpful comments on social media" after rumours circulated about a lack of surgical masks for frontline staff.

The States said there was "absolutely no substance" to the rumour and the posts "only serve to increase fear in the community".

It said a donation of 3,000 masks had been received on Friday, and 18,000 were delivered on Saturday to be distributed between the hospital and the community, including care homes.

Any other local businesses who have or are able to source personal protective equipment (PPE) and would like to donate such equipment to support the island’s response to this pandemic are being asked to contact the States of Guernsey procurement team.

The States said a further 250,000 facemasks had been ordered across six supply chains.

BBC Sport

The Jersey Reds and the Guernsey Raiders have agreed to contest both the 2020 and 2021 Siam Cup in May next year.

This year's event was originally set to take place next month, before being postponed due to the Coronavirus.

The 2020 title will be competed for at Footes Lane in May of next year, before the 2021 event is hosted in Jersey later on in the same month.

Specific dates will be announced once the structure for next season has been announced by the RFU.

The Siam Cup is the second oldest Rugby Trophy in existence, behind the Calcutta Cup played for between England and Scotland.

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News Online

A total of 126 children and young people are being looked after at school, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of the Committee for Health and Social Care has confirmed.

She thanked the teachers who are continuing to volunteer their help.

Only children of essential workers and those with special educational needs are allowed to attend.

Ben Chapple
BBC News Online

Speaking after it was announced Guernsey businesses that can safely deliver goods would be able to from Wednesday the chairman of the Civil Contingencies Authority reiterated that the community's health remained the top priority.

Deputy Gavin St Pier said: "To be clear the first priority was, is and will remain public health and minimising the loss of life from Covid-19.

"The second priority was, is and will remain the resumption of normality as swiftly as it is safe to do so.

"This self evidently is in the interests of the whole community's mental health and wellbeing as well as the economic health and wellbeing of individuals, families, businesses and of course the public finances."

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News Online

Dr Peter Rabey, medical director for the States of Guernsey, has said care homes are "the frontline" for our population during the coronavirus outbreak.

Three different care homes in Guernsey have confirmed coronavirus cases - one with one case and the two others previously reported.

He said PPE provisions had been sent to care homes and a GP had been allocated to each home.

"We know people are working under difficult circumstances there and we are doing everything we can to support them."

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News Online

Guernsey's director of Public Health, Dr Nicola Brink says the States will support cloth masks as "a personal choice" for use by members of the public, after a review of the evidence.

It comes as Jersey advises its islanders to wear cloth face masks when out in public.

An interim report on the use of masks, external was released by the World Health Organization on Monday.

Dr Brink said she was "really concerned" that the use of masks did not "lull us into a false sense of security".

She has urged symptomatic people to stay at home in isolation.

Dr Brink further warned that cloth masks could "represent a risk" to the user if not used properly.

The advice includes washing them regularly and not wearing them when wet.

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News Online

Dr Nicola Brink says community seeding, where there is no evidence to show someone has had contact with confirmed case, accounts for less than 10% of positive tests in the Bailiwick.

Testing has identified 166 positive cases in Guernsey and none in Alderney or Sark.

She said there had also been roughly an equal split in cases between men and women.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby has praised Guernsey businesses for complying with the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The president of the Committee for Health and Social Care said: "Our absolute priority is dealing with this public health crisis, and protecting the lives of islanders.

"That has meant some tough decisions that have made things very difficult for many businesses.

"But I’m impressed with how they have supported that objective, and put their community first."

She said businesses must respect the spirit as well as the letter of the law of the restrictions.

Mrs Soulsby said: "The vast majority have done that and I’m grateful.

"But if we find any businesses aren’t taking seriously their responsibility to their employees, their customers and to the Bailiwick, we will impose much tougher measures."

Rebecca Thorn
BBC News Online

Deputy Gavin St Pier says the majority of coronavirus cases have come from "clusters".

The chairman of the Civil Contingencies Authority said there had been 13 cases from unidentified community seeding.

A total of 34 individuals have recovered from the virus.

The only change to the extended lockdown - until 18 April for the Bailiwick of Guernsey - is to allow non-essential businesses to deliver to islanders' doorsteps from Wednesday.

As was previously allowed only essential retail outlets are allowed to open to the public and food and drink can be delivered while takeaways remain banned.

The new rules are:

• Goods can only be sold online or over the phone
• Social distancing and hygiene guidelines must be followed
• Businesses may use couriers - who are essential workers - to deliver items or their own delivery facility
• Goods must be packed for delivery by no more than two people, who must wear gloves
• The deliveries must take place as part of a planned itinerary, and goods must not be sold by delivery drivers to other parties
• The deliveries must be undertaken by no more than one individual, who must wear gloves
• A 70% alcohol hand gel should be rubbed on the gloves between deliveries
• The goods must be left on the doorstep of premises or in an agreed outside place - there must be no direct customer interaction