16 October 2020
In April 2020, St Helena Government (SHG) received positive news of an additional £2.5 million of budgetary support from the UK Government for the Island’s preparations to mitigate COVID-19 impacts.
As part of St Helena’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic a number of preventative measures have been put in place to ensure that we are best placed to deal with the virus in the event it reaches the Island.
Further to a press release issued in August, SHG has today provided an updated analysis of spend on COVID-19 related activities between March and September 2020 – a total of just over £2.1 million (£2,129,000).
A breakdown of this expenditure is summarised below:
Bradley’s Camp Quarantine Facility and Operations
£695,000 has been spent to date on the refurbishment of Bradley’s Camp – a dual purpose medical and quarantine facility.
£229,000 has been spent on the running costs of the facility following new arrivals to the Island undergoing 14-days of compulsory quarantine. These costs also account for when the facility is unoccupied for example preparing for arrivals and cleaning regimes after the accommodation becomes vacant. At a maximum capacity of 47, spanning 39 rooms, the cost of operating Bradley’s is around £32,000 per rotation.
Maintaining Access to St Helena
£661,000 has been spent on two repatriation flights to St Helena – one from the UK and one from South Africa – and three charter flights from the UK. This is net of revenues received. The net cost of each flight is dependent on a number of factors including the level of demand for each flight and restrictions on the number of inbound passengers due to available quarantine accommodation. The net cost for the previous charter flights, which have had inbound seat numbers restricted, range from £70,000-£100,000 per flight rotation.
Business Support
In March 2020, following the additional measures implemented by SHG to prevent COVID-19 from reaching the Island, Government approved support mechanisms for three months to reduce the burden on local businesses. A second phase of hardship support was introduced between July and September 2020 to keep people in the Hospitality sector on the Island in employment. £318,000 has been spent on Enforced Self-Isolation Support, Hardship Support and Business Closure Support packages. The updated package announced on 8 September is expected to cost around £15,000 per month and is in place until the end of December.
Health Resources and Support Staff
The UK Government has provided funding, through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund for additional medical staff to support St Helena’s COVID-19 preparedness. SHG has spent £61,000 on recruitment costs for these staff as well as additional Health support staff.
Equipment, Supplies & Services
£166,000 has been spent to date on additional medical equipment including four ventilators, a Flu pod for the General Hospital, Personal Protective Equipment and Medical Supplies.
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SHG
16 October 2020