TCI: Salt Cay is first island OPEN; ZERO for Covid & 95% Vaccine Uptake

#TurksandCaicos, May 30, 2021 – Parrot Cay is the first island in the Turks and Caicos to have all of its residents fully vaccinated, but Salt Cay is the first island to be fully opened due to its outstanding uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine.  The small population of under 70 people are nearly all vaccinated; only three residents are not inoculated for the Coronavirus.

Hon. E. Jay Saunders, Minister of Health and Deputy Premier during his post Cabinet press conference made the announcement; revealing that 66 people in Salt Cay have been inoculated for the Coronavirus, which is just about everyone.  The Turks and Caicos will need that fourth batch of vaccines through Public Health England in order to hit the target percentage, but the vaccine uptake in Salt Cay has put the island out of the hot zone. 

“We are now looking at the phased reopening of the economy and I’ve asked the PS of Health to prepare a paper for next cabinet.  I’ve said that once we get to 70 per cent we will fully reopen the economy. As you can see with Salt Cay, some islands are doing better than others and we are going to start off by opening up Salt Cay,” said the Hon E. Jay Saunders, Minster of Health during a media conference on May 20 held at the Office of the .

Ironically, the sleepy community of Salt Cay is now the only island in the TCI which is OPEN; no face covering requirement, no more curfews or restrictions on businesses, churches, weddings, funerals or the school when it comes to capacity, social gatherings are permitted and business hours are no longer capped at 10 pm and you can stay out as late as you’d like on Salt Cay. 

“So the Cabinet yesterday (May 19) approved amendments to the Public and Environmental Health regulations for Salt Cay and we are opening up Salt Cay.  And as of Monday (May 24), Salt Cay is fully open  and not only is Salt Cay open to its residents, Salt Cay is open for business, particularly those who are vaccinated.  If you go to Salt Cay, and you’re fully vaccinated you don’t have to worry about Covid protocols,” informed Hon E. Jay Saunders.

Visitors to Salt Cay, who are un-vaccinated, will have to maintain donning of a face covering said the Deputy Premier.

The official Cabinet report informed:  “Approved amendments to the Public and Environmental Health Regulations for Salt Cay only, following their over 95% vaccination programme, including:    a)    Curfew be lifted completely on the island of Salt Cay, b)    Restrictions on business to cease, c)    Religious places of worship-no restrictions, d)    Funeral services and burial grounds-no restrictions, e)    Restrictions on social activities to cease, f)     Weddings-restrictions to cease, g)    Public beaches-restrictions to cease, h)    Remove mask mandate and penalties for residents of Salt Cay and individuals fully vaccinated only and i)      The establishment of protocols for those visiting the island who are not vaccinated.”

Today, Turks and Caicos has seven active cases of Covid-19 with the tiny island of Salt Cay, never having recorded not even one case of the coronavirus.

Photo by Paradise on Salt Cay