Fifth anniversary of Guernsey's first Covid Lockdown

Monday, 24 March 2025 09:15

It's been five years since Guernsey went into its first lockdown to slow the spread of Covid-19.

In January 2020, the World Health Organisation made a statement that Chinese authorities in Wuhan had found a new infectious virus.

A little over one month later (9 March) the first case would be confirmed in Guernsey after someone returning from a holiday in Tenerife tested positive.

15 days later, on 24 March 2020, the island would declare a stay-at-home order.

It came into force the next day and saw all non-essential shops, schools and the borders close.

Social distancing saw people stand two metres apart, touch elbows instead of shaking hands, and use virtual boardrooms and classrooms.

Guernsey's former most senior politician, Deputy Gavin St Pier, announced the restrictions.

Just five days after the lockdown came into force, on 30 March 2020, Guernsey recorded its first Covid-related death, a person in their 80s.

Lockdown brought out the 'Guernsey Together Spirit' with islanders stacking and painting rocks, clapping for health care workers on their doorsteps at 7pm each week and having virtual gatherings online.

Two months later, on 27 May 2020, Guernsey was declared Covid-free, with no known active cases, and all restrictions were lifted on 20 June 2020.

Nine months later, in early 2021, Guernsey would go through a second covid-related lockdown.