Disappointed over the relaxed approach some people have displayed towards wearing face masks, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has said failure to comply could result in businesses being shut down.
During Saturday's media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, he said the decision to halt business activity by 6 pm was one way to reduce exposure to the virus.
Thoracic Medical Director at the Caura Hospital Dr Michelle Trotman expressed her displeasure over collective developments as she said, "The compliance with masks has fallen down."
Reinforcing his earlier call of No Mask, No Service, the prime minister reminded those returning to work that it is a requirement to don a face mask while out in public.
Admitting it was not an issue the Government intended to legislate, the prime minister said, "We have to keep working on people to stop being cavalier and if it is that we are seeing that we cannot be made to comply, it may very well be that it will take something drastic for people to comply in this country."
Rowley said logistical discussions have already been held with the Attorney General, but there was no point in making a law that cannot be enforced.
He said talking continued to be the only way to reach people as the mask did not prevent infection, but rather, prevented people from spreading it to others.
Rowley said, "I look at people running around the Savannah and you see about 40 per cent of the people complying with their mask on their face, meaning if they exhale microbes into the air, that somebody going to run through it in the next five seconds, that they would have controlled that pathogen within that mask.
"On the other hand, you see other people running and blowing and panting like a racehorse, passing people in the road, they don't care what happens, and then you say maybe there ought to be a law, that that person should be arrested? And then what do you do with such a person? You take them to fill up the jail or take them to get bail...it is just not the solution. The action is so simple that it is difficult to police it."
Rowley said the only thing left was to reinforce personal responsibility.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh urged "mall owners, from Monday, should have at their entrances I think, people with sanitizers, provide masks and your store owners should insist on what the Prime Minister has been saying of No Mask, No Service."
For business places not adhering to the rule of no more than five in a group, Rowley warned, "A passing police officer can shut that place down. As you open your business, if you disregard the requirement for an absence of people congregating, a police officer has the authority to close the place on the basis that it is encouraging congregation and congregation beyond that number of five is a violation of the Public Health Act."
Approximately 50 third-year UWI students are to be trained to work alongside police officers to ensure businesses comply.
FEEL has since distributed 100,000 reusable face masks to the public.
Funeral Numbers Go To Ten
Stressing that public gatherings were still limited to five, Rowley said the lone exception would be made for funerals now as those numbers have been increased to ten.
Rowley said he understood how hard people were finding it to stick to that requirement.
The PM said, "I think some element of relief to the grieving would be brought by going to ten but we still want to ask people to minimise your exposure."