COVID-19 pandemic on St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
The COVID-19 pandemic on the islands of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha , which are located in the South Atlantic , has not led to any COVID-19 disease so far (as of May 27, 2020) . However, since March 18, numerous measures have been taken that affect life on the islands. In addition to the entry requirements and the behavior of island residents, this also applies to medical prevention, including the establishment of a quarantine station and financial support for employees and companies.
background
The pandemic started in China in December 2019 and affects the novel disease COVID-19. This is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the Coronaviridae group and belongs to the group of respiratory diseases . From March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic.
location
The three islands form a British overseas territory about 1,900 miles from Africa and about 3,300 kilometers from South America . The islands of St. Helena , Ascension and Tristan da Cunha have a total of about 5700 inhabitants, of which about 4000 live on St. Helena. Politically, they have a joint legislative council of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (English Legislative Council ). This council forms a parliament in a unicameral system . The islands have their own currency, the St. Helena pound , which is dependent on the British pound . Until 2017, the islands could only be reached after a five-day boat trip; since October 2017 it has also been possible to reach them by plane.
course
activities
To prevent the pandemic from spreading, the island administration set up a quarantine station as a precautionary measure in March 2020. The ward is equipped with the essentials to care for the sick, and the medical ward management is in contact with the British health system. The measures that are taken in the case of suspicious people differ according to self-isolation and quarantine, with the quarantine entailing greater control. Restaurants and bars remain open at the responsibility of the operator. Distance rules should be observed. The St. Helena airport was kept open with the argument that this is the only way to transport medical equipment, drugs and test kits to the island. They also want to accept returning residents from South Africa and Ascension, who, however, have to go into a 14-day quarantine. All flight bookings can only be made through travel agencies, as they have an overview of the reception capacity of the quarantine station on St. Helena. This also applies to all travelers who want to enter the country by ship, plane or yacht. Ships or yachts that want to land must provide numerous details as well as their departure destinations. On April 21, air traffic from Cape Town to St. Helena Airport was suspended by the responsible authority in South Africa and will not be resumed until further notice (as of May 27, 2020). Emergency flights are only possible from a runway on Ascension.
Financial support
People who are employed in a company and have to go into self-isolation receive financial support. This only applies to those who arrived on the island before March 14th. Business owners who have to close their businesses due to a lack of orders or material from abroad also receive financial support.
Web links
- World Health Organization (WHO): Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports on the website www.who.int (English)
- Johns Hopkins CSSE : Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases. (English)
- Website World of Meters : real-time data of the Corona virus pandemic (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ What is Covid-19? . In: Pulmonologists in the network from April 4, 2020
- ↑ "Deeply concerned": WHO speaks of corona pandemic . In: Tagesschau from April 14, 2020
- ↑ Is this the most useless airport in the world? . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung of October 13, 2017
- ↑ a b COVID-19 Monitoring and Prevention on St Helena . In: Government of St. Helena undated, accessed May 27, 2020
- ↑ Self-isolation . In: Government of St. Helena undated, accessed May 27, 2020
- ^ Traveling to and from St Helena . In: Government of St. Helena undated, accessed May 27, 2020
- ^ Foreign travel advice. St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha . In: Government of Great Britain April 21, 2020
- ↑ Business Support . In: Government of St. Helena undated, accessed May 27, 2020
