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1. Covid-19 threatens lives, health, prosperity and our way of life. We have taken steps to protect the health of our citizens, communities and economies. However, the threat is still too real.
2. We are seeing the start of a second wave. Medical chiefs agreed that the alert level should increase to 4. Cases are increasing rapidly and we must take steps to stop an exponential increase that could overwhelm our health services and aim for R back below 1 minimizing the impact in the economy and society.
3. After our meeting at COBR this week, we reaffirm our shared commitment to suppress the virus to the lowest level possible and keep it there, as we strive to bring life back to as normal as possible for as many people as possible. We agree that our political decisions must be consistent with this objective.
4. In the coming months, we will work with determination, energy and cooperation to:
● Make sure people are working and socializing safely, communicating clearly and effectively the steps we all need to take.
● Test people with symptoms and trace their contacts.
● Prevent new index cases through our travel planning approach.
● Respond quickly to contain any localized outbreak, wherever it occurs.
● Prepare for the pressures we know winter will bring.
● Protect the most vulnerable in society from the effects of the virus.
● Help the economy and society to recover and renew.
● Reach a long-term solution to the Covid-19 threat in the form of treatment or vaccine as soon as possible.
5. As we continue to work together, we commit to:
● Maintain transparency and openness with the public, clearly communicating the measures that each of us takes to suppress the virus.
● Coordinate and cooperate as much as possible on these islands, respecting differences in approach and clarifying where measures are applied.
● Share and act on the best data, research and science.
● Make sure our collective response works for all the citizens we serve.
● Build a sustainable legacy from our work on Covid-19, build back better, and be more resilient against future threats.
6. The ongoing fight against Covid-19 will continue to require a lot from all of us, wherever we live. We ask that everyone strive to abide by the rules and advice designed for our safety, as this is the only way to keep the virus suppressed and further advance on the path back to normalcy. Failure to do so will put everyone else at risk. Therefore, in the weeks and months ahead we must continue to work together to protect and care for those most at risk and to keep the virus under control.
