From our correspondent
Oranjestad – The government is scaling down the corona crisis further. As of yesterday, the recovery phase is officially in effect. This means, among other things, that corona has been equated with other diseases. The government no longer takes measures, the choice is up to the citizen.
Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes (MEP) announced this in a press conference yesterday. She emphasized that Aruba is still in the corona crisis, ‘because the recovery phase is part of the crisis’. However, the way of working and the policy have been scaled down. The recovery phase will be in effect until December 31. “We worked on the basis of the National Decree on Calamities, but we are withdrawing this today.”
The government equates corona to other diseases, with the prime minister giving rubella as an example. “If you feel sick, it is your own responsibility to go to the doctor. Testing and isolation is no longer mandatory. The government will no longer check whether corona patients stay at home.” The government will continue to monitor the worrying socio-economic effects and the implications for mental health care.
Aruba received the first two corona infections on March 13, 2020. The government set up the Crisis Team. Schools closed, the border was closed and a curfew was imposed. It was a unique situation for Aruba. The streets were empty, hotels were empty and the airport was empty. From June, the borders with the United States and the Netherlands reopened. The pressure on healthcare has increased enormously. Finally, the Prime Minister recalled that the Department of Public Health (DVG) came up with a testing policy and later also a vaccination policy. “Together with all the frontliners, we made it.”