Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pearl McMillan said political events and other social gatherings should not be happening locally.

McMillan said while the Ministry of Health is not monitoring political events specifically, officials expect political parties to follow the health guidelines.

“The Ministry of Health continues to make the recommendations that are based on the science,” McMillan said during a Ministry of Health press conference when asked if it is safe to have political gatherings.

“There should not be gatherings that are above and beyond what is agreed upon in the emergency order.

“In the address I just made, I made it very clear that those types of gatherings should not be occurring. Individuals need to protect themselves and others by not availing themselves of such events, be they political, be they a party, be they a gathering of a family.  

“We have to continue following the public health measures. That is the only way we are going to continue to move down the road to be in the position that we all want to be [in].

McMillan said as more people get vaccinated, the Ministry of Health will be in a better position to advise which restrictions should be removed.

“But we are not there yet.”

The current emergency order prohibits social gatherings in a private residence or facility, except for a wedding, on New Providence, Abaco, Eleuthera and Exuma. 

Noting that the number of COVID-19 cases have increased steadily in the last few weeks, Dr. McMillian said social activities can wait.

Just under 9,300 COVID cases have been confirmed since March 2020.

Dr. McMillan said health officials remain concerned about the increase in  new cases and hospitalizations on Abaco, Grand Bahama and New Providence.

“For lack of a better word, we are begging that we do our best to decrease the likelihood of transmission of the virus,” McMillian said.

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