The true assessment of the 2021 Anegada Lobster Fest will be revealed within 14 days from the weekend of the annual event.
This is according to the Chief Environmental Health Officer Lionel Michael, who told 284News that the factors to determine whether the event was a success from a health perspective, are dependent upon the COVID-19 situation of the territory 14 days after the event.
Michael was on the island of Anegada performing various health and safety exercises to get businesses prepared ahead of the two days of festivities.
He said, “We’ll see the true assessment at the end of 14 days, 14 days from today, 14 days from yesterday and 14 days from Friday. But generally speaking, I think that the people have made an effort to comply with the COVID-19 Control and Suppression Measures.”
Compliance to COVID measures deemed satisfactory
The CEHO also said that inspections of various businesses on the sister island showed that the proprietors were doing their best to ensure patrons were in adherence with the COVID-19 protocols.
He said the level of compliance seen was satisfactory to the health professionals.
“We’ve been to all of the business places of concern and interest and we’ve observed that they’ve tried their very best to comply and where they need improvement, we’ve given them advice and we appeal to the people to comply,” Michael stated.
“So yes, I think that people are wearing their masks although some of them need to be wearing more closely fitting masks. But generally speaking, I think that the compliance with measures have been satisfactory. But again, as I said with the caveat, we’ll see the best results at the end of 14 days,” he added.
Meanwhile, weighing the success of the Anegada Lobster Fest from an economic perspective was District Representative Vincent Wheatley, who said businesses on the sister island were the busiest for the first time in two years.
Wheatley also touched on the health aspect of the event, stating that businesses and patrons tried where they could to uphold all the COVID-19 protocols.