A campaign has today (Thursday) been launched by the Government of Jersey to remind pubs, bars and restaurants that they need to record the details of every visitor to their premises.
The campaign is a joint initiative between the Health and Safety Inspectorate (H&SI) and Environmental Health, supported by the States of Jersey Police and the Honorary Police. It aims to reinforce the message that Islanders and businesses must comply with current Covid-19 guidelines in order to stay safe and to safeguard the freedoms that Jersey has managed to achieve.
While case numbers are currently low on-Island, Covid-19 is still a threat. Internationally, there is a rapid increase in cases of infection in countries that have opened their night-time economies and in many of these countries, it is the 18-25-year-old age band that is driving the surge in infections.
In order to keep Jersey safe, it is crucial that when someone is identified as infectious, the Contact Tracing Team can reach out to anyone who might have caught Covid-19 from them as quickly as possible, in order to offer them support and to stop the virus spreading any further. Medical experts are still learning much about Covid-19, and especially how the virus performs in asymptomatic individuals. Cases must be identified quickly before individuals, who do not know they have it, spread it to a high-risk individual in their family or social circle.
The operation will therefore focus on reminding licensed venues that they must play their part by collecting contact details.
In order to ensure personal data is kept securely, the Government has worked with the Office of the Information Commissioner to provide guidance to licensed premises on how to collect and store this information.
The Health and Safety Inspectorate and Environmental Health, with the support of the States of Jersey Police and the Honorary Police, will be proactively visiting establishments to check that contact information is being collected, that businesses are complying with the regulations as well as to provide support.
As part of the compliance campaign, the Government will also write to every relevant venue in the Island urging businesses to comply with the essential measures by recording customers’ contact details, ensuring physical distancing within the venue as well as making sure they only offer seated table service and that patrons do not become intoxicated – as this raises their risk of not distancing appropriately and following the hygiene advice.
Tammy Fage, Director of the H&SI, said: "Jersey is in a very good position with a low number of active cases of Covid-19. However, we must not be complacent. We want pubs, bars and restaurants to remain open and being able to trace everyone that has come into contact with a confirmed case is vital in ensuring that.
"When visiting licensed venues please be prepared to provide your contact information – and if you’re not asked for your details please ask why you have not been asked. We all have the power to keep our pubs, bars and restaurants open so please play your part in allowing us all to continue to enjoy the ease in Covid-19 restrictions."
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