Gov’t now considering even steeper fines for fake COVID results

Premier Andrew Fahie has announced that his government is making considerations to increase the existing $10,000 fine attached to breaching the safety regulations that govern COVID-19 in the territory.

He gave that indication at a press conference last Friday while noting that persons have been caught in the act of submitting false COVID-19 test results both on the government’s entry portal as well as at ports of entry in the territory.

However, he cautioned would-be wrongdoers that these attempts to ‘beat the system’ is very destructive for the territory.

“If you lie about being [COVID-19] negative and you’re not and you lie about being vaccinated and you’re not, you put a lot of persons’ lives in danger,” the Premier warned.

That is why the government is now considering even steeper penalties, Fahie stated.

“I can tell persons that from now because, for anybody to get involved in that behaviour knowingly; or intentionally doing it can cause us our economy. So, we will be reviewing that and some other measures very soon because that may have to increase,” Premier Fahie stated.

After a previous breach late last year, the Premier said he was going to be lobbying for the fines to be increased to $20,000 instead.

Active COVID-19 cases continue to rise

Meanwhile, the territory’s case count shot up to 66 infected persons at the weekend, an increase of more than 15 persons from just a few days prior, Premier Fahie announced.

There were also seven persons who are currently hospitalized with the COVID-19 virus at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital.

“Our active positive COVID-19 cases are beginning to rise once again. We encourage everyone to do their part and adhere to all approved health and social measures at all times,” the Premier stated.

The Premier also encouraged persons to get vaccinated and expressed regret at the large number of vaccines that were left to be expired from the previous batch that was donated to the territory.