Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis made an urgent plea to Bahamians and residents to refrain from traveling abroad unless absolutely necessary.
The appeal comes days before The Bahamas will open its borders to international commercial travel, on Wednesday 1 July.
“I want to make a very strong plea to Bahamians and residents considering or planning to travel overseas for nonessential travel -- to not go overseas at this time,” said the Prime Minister during a live National Address.
“If you are thinking of travelling for non-essential or non-emergency reasons, please, I beg you, stay at home at this time. Please stay at home!”
Minnis noted that a number of the cities and areas Bahamians and residents like to frequent in neighboring countries and cities are experiencing a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases.
Many of these areas are hotspots where the very contagious COVID-19 virus is widespread, he said.
“If you travel to these areas and go to malls, shops, restaurants and other establishments you might catch the virus,” said Minnis.
“You could bring the virus home and community spread could start again. Let me be as clear as I can: Your actions can damage the health of others and your actions could help worsen our economy if we have to lockdown again.”
Minnis warned young people that while they are less vulnerable to getting seriously sick from COVID-19, a number of young people around the world have gotten very sick or died from the virus.
Some have passed on the virus through community spread and passed it on to parents, grandparents and older relatives, some of whom have died, the Prime Minister noted.
“There is still so much the world still does not know about this virus,” he said.
“For your own sake I urge young people to observe the life-saving measures, especially wearing masks or face coverings. But most of all I urge you to wear masks out of consideration for other people: for the sake of the stranger, for the sake of your own loved ones, for the sake of our nation.”
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