ISLANDER’S VIEW OF COVID CASES

WHAT residents of Scilly had feared for many a month has come about, writes islander Clive Mumford.

Islanders have been told by their Council that Covíd -19 had arrived on their shores. “There are fewer than three cases at present ,“said the council in a statement. “To protect individuals’ identities we are not able to provide the exact number of cases or specify further information”. The announcement accepted the news would “cause concern and may come as a shock.”

Until this week Scilly had had “positives” in September when two islanders contracted the virus on the mainland before returning to self isolate. And there had been the odd false alarm.

Those apart, Scilly has been virus-free and was, for a short while, England’s lone Tier 1 area until the start of lockdown number three.

Scilly’s success in keeping the virus at bay had been praised by Council chairman Robert Francis.

In a monthly note to islanders he wrote: “I am truly proud of the lengths you are all going to,” he said. The (erstwhile) Tier 1 status was “an excellent achievement.”

Compliance checks are now being rigorously imposed at both Land’s End and St Mary’s airports to keep out further infection.

Sgt Darren White, Scilly’s senior police officer, said that since Scilly’s brief period as the UK’s lone Tier 1 area before lockdown the force had issued two Covid Enforcement actions on the islands for those found to be in breach of regulations.

“We continue to meet all flights arriving on the island and are working in conjunction with Isles of Scilly Travel to ensure all those travelling to the island are doing so for a lawful purpose,” he said. “Additionally, we are engaging with all individuals brought to police attention by the community for suspected breaches of Covid regulations.”

Councillor Steve Sims, who has public health as part of his portfolio, had urged people not to see the islands as a safe haven, pointing out “our health facilities are limited”.

He had attributed months of staying virus- free to “a lot of luck, isolation and importantly, a huge amount of hard work.”

People were so desperate [for a vaccine] and so grateful when they arrived. There was nobody who works here who wasn’t moved to tears NICCI HILSON, TORBAY GP PRACTICES